Phormium tenax

Botanical Description

Phormium tenax is a evergreen perennial plant, forming a large clump of leaves and spreading by means of stout rhizomes. The erect leaves are of a hard, tough texture, rigid except at the tip, around 10 - 12cm wide and up to 2.5 metres tall. A flowering stem up to 4.5 metres tall is produced in the summer[ 11 Title Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Publication Author Bean. W. Publisher Murray Year 1981 ISBN - Description A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. It has been considered for commercial cultivation for its fibre, though there is some difficulty in mechanically extracting the fibres[ 153 Title Economic Native Plants of New Zealand. Publication Author Brooker. S. G., Cambie. R. C. and Cooper. R. C. Publisher Oxford University Press Year 1991 ISBN 0-19-558229-2 Description An interesting and readable book on the useful plants of New Zealand. ]. The plant is often grown as an ornamental, valued especially for its striking architectural appearance.