New Zealand flax
Phormium tenax
Also called Phormium, New Zealand flax and Harakeke
Garden plant · ShrubsIT GETS FAR BIGGER THAN THE LABEL SAYS — two metres across is ordinary for the plain green one, and it cannot be cut back to size because every leaf comes from the base. Buy a named dwarf if the space is small; there is no pruning your way out of this.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Every 8 daysDrench and drain — water the whole surface until it runs from the holes.
- Light
- Full sun
- Feed
- Every 60 days
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Hardy — an average winter RHS H4, to -10°C
- Size
- 2 m tall · 2 m across
- Lifecycle
- Shrub
- Origin
- New Zealand
Is it safe for pets and people?
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-09-21. Where a source says nothing, we say nothing.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.