Re: Phormium tenax
Tim, thanks for your note. If one is not intending to divide a plant, then
do you advocate it being cut back at any time in the season?
Edward
----- Original Message -----
From: Tim Dutton <timdut@xtra.co.nz>
To: Mediterannean Plants List <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
Sent: 11 October 1999 8:58
Subject: RE: Phormium tenax
> 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)
>
>
