RE: Phormium tenax
- To: Mediterannean Plants List
- Subject: RE: Phormium tenax
- From: T* D*
- Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 20:58:16 +1300
Moira wrote:
>My excellent "Propagation of NZ Native Plants" says "The leaves should be
>cut back severely, so that on larger-growing kinds they are about
>40-60cm long and on the smaller kinds 30-50 cm long. If not cut back
>they can wilt quite severely and can affect the well-being of the
>division...New leaves soon make their appearance. Trim back the roots to
>about 15-20cm long, but make sure thy are long enough to anchor the
>division into the ground. Divisions of the smaller kinds can be put into
>containers for growing on.
I concur with this advice, having divided many a Phormium in my time.
However, they can tolerate a good deal more punishment than this extract
indicates. I have generally found that fans with no actual roots, only
showing tiny stubs where the roots will grow, will always grow into new
plants after being dumped 'in situ', regardless of the soil condition,
although it really does help if it is moist to wet. They do take a bit
longer to get started than those with some root though. Of course, without
roots they cannot stay upright without artificial support, and I use either
a couple of small rocks or two house bricks to hold them up (one in front
of the fan and one at the back). After a year I try to remember to remove
the rocks/bricks, but they get pushed out of the way by the growing plant
if I forget.
Of course, if the P. tenax you start with is a full-sized specimen,
towering over your head, this presupposes that you are strong and energetic
enough and have a sharp enough spade/axe/chainsaw to divide it in the first
place... No such problems with diminutive P. colensoi.
Tim Dutton
"Raindrops", Main Road North, Kaitoke, Upper Hutt, New Zealand
(Latitude 41? 5' South, Longitude 175? 10' East)
