| Positive | baiissatva | On Sep 12, 2008, baiissatva from Dunedin
New Zealand wrote:Zone 9b Coastal Otago, New Zealand
I love the mountain flax- it is more graceful than the taller, stouter P tenax and just as tough, with its arching grass green leaves and elegant flower spikes. Though the colour choices are more limited, its prettier form more than compensates for the often-garish and even fake looking multi-hued cultivars.
Constant moisture will result in the lushest, fastest growth; it is not fussy about soil type, being happy in the horrible yellow clay that I inflict on it, as long as it doesnt suffer drought. Appreciates a little shade as well, more so than P Tenax.
Very lovely when massed in an exotic border, or planted at corners of a bed, providing excellent low shelter. Birds adore the copious nectar.
When flaxes become too large and crowded, simply lift and divide- each fan will produce another plant. Some say it helps to cut back the foliage by half when transplanting but I find this can make the plants slower to establish.
Frost tolerant, in fact I dont really know of a place in NZ where these wont grow, being right at home up to the snow line so plant with confidence.
New Zealand flax leaves, when cut and halved, are strip-woven into bags and mats etc, with a minimum of effort, providing a very durable and environmentally friendly alternative to plastic. My handbag (kete, in maori) has lasted me many years, so have a go yourself. They dry to a soft golden colour and can be dyed with fabric dyes. I cut a leaf, discarding the mid rib, whenever I need a plant tie- the soft fibres are kind to trunks and last at least a year. The fibres are also used to make rope, paper and even fabrics. |
