Phormium ‘pink stripe’

Description

Phormium ‘Pink Stripe’ is a striking cultivar of Phormium tenax (commonly known as New Zealand flax), valued for its bold, colorful foliage and architectural form. It’s a popular ornamental plant in contemporary and tropical-style gardens.

🌿 Phormium ‘Pink Stripe’

Family: Asphodelaceae (formerly placed in Agavaceae or Xanthorrhoeaceae)
Common Name: New Zealand flax ‘Pink Stripe’

Description:

• Growth Habit: Evergreen, clump-forming perennial with a bold, upright form. Typically grows 1 to 1.5 meters (3–5 ft) tall and wide.

• Leaves: Long, sword-shaped, and arching; the main feature is their vivid coloration—green to bronze leaves with bold pink to coral-pink vertical stripes along the margins or midrib. The color intensifies in full sun and varies slightly with climate.

• Flowers: Tall spikes of tubular, red to bronze flowers may appear in summer, especially in mature plants. These flowers attract birds, especially nectar-feeding species like hummingbirds (in appropriate regions).

• Roots: Fibrous and robust; the plant is wind-tolerant and somewhat drought-tolerant once established.

Growing Conditions:

• Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade (best coloration in full sun).

• Soil: Moist, well-drained soil. Tolerates a range of soil types, including coastal and sandy soils.

• Hardiness: USDA zones 8–11; tolerates light frost but may need winter protection in colder climates.

• Water Needs: Moderate. Water regularly until established, then reduce; drought-tolerant once mature.