Help me with this plant!

Discussion in 'Identification Area' started by [email protected], Jul 8, 2010.

  1. matt-bradley@hotmail.co.u

    [email protected] Apprentice Gardener

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    I have had this plant in my front garden for years now but it is getting to big! Can anyone tell me how to cut it back properly or at least tell me what it is?
     
  2. Sussexgardener

    Sussexgardener Gardener

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    Phormium, aka New Zealand Flax. Don't know about cutting them back, hopefully someone else will be able to assist.
     
  3. andrewh

    andrewh Gardener

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    It's a variegated Phormium.

    I think you can thin it out by chopping off leaves at the base (wear gloves and use sharp clippers as they are tough!).
     
  4. Marley Farley

    Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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    [​IMG] Matt.. They do make good plants to fill a front garden space I will say, but sometime we need to tidy them up a bit.. We recently had some New Zealand people in our village who did a house swap with some keen gardeners in our village.. They too were keen gardeners & we had some brilliant informal garden talks & demonstrations in some of our gardens around the village in the months they were here.. They showed us how to trim them back & also told us all about how The phormium (new Zealand Flax) is a very sacred plant to the Maori people historically it has and continues to be used for weaving. In fact there is such a thing as the ‘Maori police” The new Zealand flax is so sacred that in one botanical garden which I visited “Maori police” would check on these plants to make sure they had not been pruned incorrectly and often they would supervise the pruning on designated days. Of course here in the UK we don’t need to worry about the plant police, but you may want to follow a similar rule. The general rule is to prune in late spring and remove any dead or damaged leaves all the way to the base. In fact, you will usually find large, linear leaves, each folded into a V-shape with 5-7 shoots on each leaf. To reduce in size remove several of the outer shoots on either side of the main ‘V’ leaf leaving the 3 central shoots. Do this on many of the outer V-shaped leaves as desired all over the Phormium. Oh & never "top" flax as the leaves will never grow back into a point again.. Soo hope that helps you out a bit.. :thumb:
     
  5. Sussexgardener

    Sussexgardener Gardener

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    Yes, my partner's nephew (lives in New Zealand now) was most intrigued to see Flax and Cabbage Palms (Cordyline to you and me!) growing here.
     
  6. Marley Farley

    Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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    :thumb: I have to say I find it a slightly strange plant to hold sacred & go to such lengths for, but who am I to question such a tradition..!:dh::)
     
  7. Sussexgardener

    Sussexgardener Gardener

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    Perhaps it's the usefulness and versatility they like? I'll ask the nephew!
     
  8. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

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    I met a kiwi fishing at lyme regis, he taught me the maori fish chant, "Moki, Moki !"

    In return, I taught him the dogfish dance "Dogfish, Dogfish, come ABOUT"

    Not the same without the actions though.
     
  9. Marley Farley

    Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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    :hehe: Oh Ziggy.. You can always make us smile it seems... ! :D Yes Aaron please do ask your nephew then, but I expect you are right though, it is a very useful plant to them... :thumb:
     
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