Re: Phormium tenax
Edward Faridany wrote:
>
> T&M, do you mean to suggest that phormiums should also be cut back when
> mature?
> If so, when and to what degree?
> We wrap phormium t. in agricultural fleece and it survives the winter [wet
> with occasional frosts. min temp to, say, - 5C]
Edward
This cutting-back is only necessary when planting out divisions. It is
just the same technique used when dividing rhizomatous Irises and
compensates for a momentarily-reduced root system.
With mature plants, occasionally where leaf tips have been badly
shredded by wind or where they are hanging down in a faiway, I have cut
off just those tips if the rest of the leaf was still too healthy to
warrant its entire removal.
As to survival of Phormiums, P. tenax is tougher than you seem to think.
Locally, where it also occurs wild, it survives our winters ( definitely
wet and with temps down to -3C every year and as low as -6c occasionally
with no protection and no harm). This is however mainly a lowland
species in nature. P. cookianum (P.colensoi) is the Mountain flax,
growing from sea level up to quite high mountain slopes, where it must
suffer much more winter cold than just -6C.
Their range is given in Botanica as zones 8-11.
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata,
New Zealand (astride the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
