The flax bush (Phormium) with its sword like, decorative leaves, produces a focal point for just about any garden. The colour options that are several give a garden year round colour as borders, in sea-side plantings and around pools. An established plant sends up clusters of flowers. The flowers shoot up to the peak of the bush and bloom in late spring. The fireplace and deer- are hardy in Sunset’s Environment Zones 7 through 14 and 9 .
Care of Flax Bushes
Flax bushes need complete to partial sunlight. The drought-tolerant crops require little upkeep, but they should be protected by you against temperature of cooler or 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The bushes need well-drained soil, as soil that is badly drained leaves the crops susceptible to crown rot. Mulch the plants in spring and fall and use a fertilizer that is well-balanced in -spring. Cut any dead foliage in the fall and divide crops every five to six years away.
Flax for Coastal Areas
The flax bush thrives best in moist loamy soil, making it an outstanding plant for the water-side. It’s best suitable for areas with moderate climate. You’ll find several varieties suggested for use in the California areas. These contain “Jack Spratt,” “Variegatum” and “Maori Chief.” All of them thrive in problems when developed in the West, but might be brought indoors to over-winter in inland climates that are cooler. The bushes entice hummingbirds that feed their flowers off.
Varieties with Coloured Leaves
The common flax bush (Phormium tenax) has green leaves, but hybrid types have coloured leaves. Colors vary from green with white or pale-yellow stripes, such as the “Lancer Green and Yellow,” to leaves using a bronze-purple tinge or hotpink, like the “Shiraz” and “Pink Panther,” respectively. Flax bush types with leaves that are coloured are usually hardy.
History of Flax Bushes
Flax bushes are indigenous to New Zealand. There, the natives employed the fibers of the plant to produce twine, rope and baskets. The flax bush includes a rich background in New Zealand, in producing different kinds of clothes in addition to plates, baskets and fishing line as it had been used as the primary material. It’s thought that flax bushes were found by Captain Cook South Pacific in the late 1700s. on an expedition The bushes then produced their way to the U.S. in the late 19th century. In a Bay Area region backyard, a flax bush was growing in 1871. The plant became mo-Re typical in the 1950s and 1960s. It was a-T this time when it was utilized by location landscapers thoroughly, the plant became main-stream.