Help Please, Can you identify this!

Discussion in 'Identification Area' started by rattrap, May 2, 2010.

  1. rattrap

    rattrap Apprentice Gardener

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    Hi everyone, I've not got green fingers, but have this rather large plant growing in a secluded part of my land and I have not got a clue what it is:cnfs:

    Can anyone identify it, and also how can I trim it back, the leaves are really strong.

    Many thanks,

    Rob.









    [​IMG]
     
  2. Lovage

    Lovage Gardener

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    Looks like a phormium or New Zealand flax.

    Pruning usually just involves removal of dead or damaged leaves. The leaves are really strong - they can bung up a shredder.

    Any attempt to reduce the size will end up with a very messy looking plant - if it's too big it's in the wrong position
     
  3. maltaron

    maltaron Gardener

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    I cant tell you the name but think it is some sort of palm. I can tell you that its a b****r to cut. I inherited one when I moved to my current home. I managed to cut off some outer leaves with an old saw and put a rope around the rest and pulled it out with the car. Be very careful, the leaves are like swords, and dont try to compost the leaves - they takes years to rot down. Good luck with it.
     
  4. Marley Farley

    Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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    :thumb: Hi ratrap & [​IMG]... I think :wink: you have a New Zealand Flax there mate... Not everyone likes them & allot have suffered very badly after this long hard winter for many years...!! A friend lost his this winter & it was as big again as yours..!!! :help: He now has a huge gap to fill..... :dh:
     
  5. rattrap

    rattrap Apprentice Gardener

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    Thankyou for the welcome and the advice. I have tryed to trim this, but it is so hard, the leaves are really strong and tough. I really don't know what to do with it now! Would anyone have any advice or thoughts on what to do with it?
     
  6. Marley Farley

    Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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    Hi ratrap,
    There isn't really allot you can do with them.... All you can do is cut the old dead leaves away with a sharp knife to tidy it up really now.. :scratch:
    But if its grown to big or you feel you don't want it that size but want to keep a smaller version, then dig it up, the roots are fairly shallow and split it up into clumps Once you have decided on the size of the clumps you will need to trim back the foliage fairly hard to about 8-12" (30cm) to prevent wind rock not to mention relieving stress of what its just been through.The roots will proberly need a tidy up to remove any broken parts. All this can be done in spring after the frosts and the plant is actively growing.
     
  7. rattrap

    rattrap Apprentice Gardener

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    Hi Marley Farley,
    Thankyou for that, it is a fair old size, and I think it's going to take some digging up!
    I do want to decrease the size as it is just too big now. I have never really noticed until this year just how big it's got :o! In summer it grows 5 long black stems out of the middle with pods on the end with seeds in. They grew last year to about 9 ft high.
     
  8. Marley Farley

    Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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    Oh it sounds a real beauty actually ratrap, I couldn't dig it up..!!
    :scratch: I think all I would do would be to just give it a tidy up & get rid of the old & untidy leaves then.. It would reduce it's circumference a bit then perhaps...:thumb:
     
  9. rattrap

    rattrap Apprentice Gardener

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    The leaves are really tough, and there is no way you can pull them out, only the dead ones (and they are tough enough too!) How would you cut them to tidy it up? Would it be better to cut them all the way back, the reason I'm asking is because of the weight of the leaves, some of them have kinked and snapped.
    Here is another picture of it from my bedroom window, can you see what I mean about the drooping leaves?
    [​IMG]
     
  10. Lovage

    Lovage Gardener

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    Leaves can be cut with decent secateurs. You should cut as low as possible to avoid leaving ugly stubs
     
  11. Marley Farley

    Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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    Yes or I have a very sharp knife I use.. :thumb:
     
  12. rattrap

    rattrap Apprentice Gardener

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    Right then, I will have a cutting session tomorrow afternoon. Many thanks again for all your advice.

    Rob.
     
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