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giant flax

Giant flax is an iconic native plant, renowned for its dramatic architectural form, bold foliage, and impressive height. If you're searching for a standout specimen to bring structure and impact to your garden, giant flax delivers. Whether you're looking to transform a landscape, create a wind-tolerant feature, or add NZ heritage to your plant collection, giant flax is a fantastic choice. With its vibrant, sword-like leaves and sturdy nature, it's easy to see why gardeners across New Zealand want to include giant flax in their design plans.

Phormium tenax plant in a garden with green foliage.

Phormium tenax

5 from 2 customers

Phormium tenax, commonly known as the NZ flax or Harakeke, is a flax plant that produces erect, green, sword-like leaves. Stems rise above the foliage in summer to bear twisted-looking flowers that result in black seed pods in autumn, and the nectar produced by the flowers attracts both birds and butterflies.

From $7.50

Suited to regions: All regions
Plant type: Flaxes
Height: 2.00 m
Spread: 2.00 m
Flowering time: Summer
Tolerances: Coastal, Extended dry periods, Hardy, Wet, Wind
Garden uses: Banks, Living areas, Parks, Ponds, Pool areas, Specimen
Garden styles: Architectural, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Frontyard, Japanese, Mediterranean, Modern, Native, Riparian
phormium-veneer-

Phormium 'Veneer'

Phormium 'Veneer' is a striking NZ flax known for its upright, sword like leaves with rich bronze and green tones. This hardy evergreen adds bold structure and year round colour to gardens. Well suited to NZ conditions, it thrives in a range of environments and is ideal for feature planting, borders, and modern landscapes.

From $14.95

Suited to regions: All regions
Plant type: Flaxes
Height: 80 cm
Spread: 80 cm
Flowering time: Summer
Tolerances: Coastal, Hardy, Wet, Wind
Garden uses: Borders, Containers, Living areas, Paths & Steps, Pool areas
Garden styles: Architectural, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Frontyard, Japanese, Mediterranean, Modern, Native
Phormium cookianum

Phormium cookianum, commonly known as Mountain Flax or Wharariki, is a graceful New Zealand native valued for its arching green leaves and tall...

From$14.95
Phormium 'Surfer Bronze' plants for sale at The Plant Company nursery.
Phormium 'Surfer Bronze'

Phormium 'Surfer Bronze' is a compact and stylish New Zealand native flax with narrow, upright leaves in rich bronze tones. This striking ornamental...

From$14.95
Phormium 'Emerald Gem' in a native garden.
Phormium 'Emerald Gem'

Phormium 'Emerald Gem' is a dwarf variety of Mountain Flax or Wharariki. It produces emerald-green leaves and grows to 60 cm tall and 70 cm wide in...

From$8.50
phormium-pepe-
Phormium 'Pepe' (Dwarf Flax)

Phormium 'Pepe' is a compact New Zealand flax prized for its fine green foliage and neat mounding growth habit. This hardy evergreen provides year...

From$19.95
Phormium 'Green Dwarf' flax plant in a native garden with Oioi plants.
Phormium 'Green Dwarf'

Phormium 'Green Dwarf', also known as Dwarf Green Flax, is a compact, tidy New Zealand flax cultivar with lush, bright green, strap-like leaves. It...

From$8.50
Phormium 'Rainbow Red' red and purple striped foliage.
Phormium 'Rainbow Red'

Phormium 'Rainbow Red' is a vibrant New Zealand native flax admired for its bold, arching leaves in shades of bronze, red, and pink. This striking...

From$249.95
Phormium 'Surfer' plants in pots for sale at The Plant Company nursery.
Phormium 'Surfer'

Phormium 'Surfer' is a compact New Zealand native flax admired for its striking green leaves edged with bronze and red tones. Its upright, arching...

From$14.95
Phormium 'Emerald Green' plants in a mixed planting.
Phormium 'Emerald Green'

Phormium 'Emerald Green' is a compact New Zealand flax valued for its rich emerald green foliage and tidy growth habit. This hardy evergreen provides...

From$14.95
Phormium 'Jack Spratt' plants for sale at The Plant Company nursery.
Phormium 'Jack Spratt'

Phormium 'Jack Spratt' is one of the smallest New Zealand native flax varieties, admired for its narrow, upright leaves in rich bronze to dark...

From$14.95
dianella-revoluta-kentlyn--2
Dianella 'Kentlyn'

Dianella 'Kentlyn' is a hardy evergreen flax lily valued for its graceful arching blue green foliage that provides year round colour and texture...

From$16.49
Callistemon 'Burgundy Jack' shrub with purple flowers.
Callistemon 'Burgundy Jack' (Bottlebrush)

Callistemon 'Burgundy Jack' is a striking bottlebrush renowned for its vivid burgundy red flower spikes and fine evergreen foliage. Blooming from...

From$27.53
Dianella tasmanica (Tasman Flax Lily) plants with green foliage and blue flowers.
Dianella tasmanica

Dianella tasmanica, commonly known as the Tasman Flax Lily, produces upright, strap-like leaves which are a rich, dark green and have a lush...

From$19.25
A Cornus controversa (Giant Dogwood) specimen tree.
Cornus controversa

Cornus controversa, commonly known as the Giant Dogwood, is a medium-sized, deciduous tree that features lush foliage that emerges mid-green in...

From$383.29
Corokia 'Geentys Giant' green leaves.
Corokia 'Geenty's Giant'

Corokia 'Geenty's Giant' is a hardy, NZ native shrub that bears green-yellow foliage held densely on slender, upright branches. Masses of small...

From$17.95
Juncus pallidus (Giant Rush) plants in a landscaped garden.
Juncus pallidus (Giant Rush)

Juncus pallidus, commonly known as the Giant Rush, features erect, dark green leaves and grows as a tidy clump, reaching approximately 75 cm in...

From$16.49
strelitzia-nicolai-
Strelitzia nicolai (White Bird Of Paradise Plant)

Strelitzia nicolai (Giant White Bird Of Paradise) is a bold, architectural plant known for its large banana like leaves and striking white and blue...

From$44.09
Cyperus ustulatus growing in water.
Cyperus ustulatus (Giant Umbrella Sedge)

Cyperus ustulatus, commonly known as the Giant Umbrella Sedge, is a large and robust NZ native grass. It grows as a clump and produces dark green...

From$17.25
sequoiadendron-giganteum-
Sequoiadendron giganteum

Sequoiadendron giganteum (Giant Redwood) is one of the world’s most impressive and majestic conifer trees, valued for its towering growth habit, rich...

From$270.40
Thuja plicata 'Green Giant' trees standing 5 m tall as a lush, green screen.
Thuja 'Green Giant'

Thuja 'Green Giant' is a smaller variety of Cedar and bears sprays of glossy, dark green foliage held on slender stems. The result is a tree with a...

From$16.95
Phormium 'Cream Delight' plant in a garden.
Phormium 'Cream Delight' (Cream Delight Flax)

Phormium 'Cream Delight' is a variety of Flax that produces leaves that are variegated with dark green and cream. This variety grows to 1.3 m tall...

OUT OF STOCK
A large Phormium 'Dark Delight' plant with elegant, purple foliage.
Phormium 'Dark Delight'

Phormium 'Dark Delight', also known as Dark Purple Flax, is a bold New Zealand native flax prized for its broad, upright leaves in deep purple to...

OUT OF STOCK
Phormium 'Crimson Devil' plant with colourful foliage in a garden.
Phormium 'Crimson Devil' (Red Flax)

Phormium 'Crimson Devil' is a variety of Flax that produces leaves that are coloured various shades of red. This flax grows to 1.3 m tall and the...

OUT OF STOCK
Phormium 'Yellow Wave' plants in a mixed planting.
Phormium 'Yellow Wave'

Phormium 'Yellow Wave' is a Flax that produces yellow, sword-like leaves. It grows to 1.2 m tall and wide in full sun on a well-drained site. This...

OUT OF STOCK
Phormium 'Black Pepe' dwarf flax plant.
Phormium 'Black Pepe' (Dwarf Black Flax)

Phormium 'Black Pepe' is a dwarf Flax variety that produces black leaves with a purple overtone. It grows to 60 cm tall and the same wide in full sun...

OUT OF STOCK
phormium-tenax-purpurea-1
Phormium tenax purpureum (Purple Flax)

Phormium tenax 'Purpureum' is a bold New Zealand flax valued for its rich purple bronze foliage and strong architectural form. This evergreen native...

OUT OF STOCK
Daphne gnidium plant with green leaves, white flowers, and orange berries.
Daphne gnidium (Flax-Leaved Daphne)

Daphne gnidium is an attractive evergreen shrub valued for its fine foliage, masses of fragrant white flowers, and colourful berries that provide...

OUT OF STOCK
Phormium 'Bronze Baby' growing alongside a stream.
Phormium 'Bronze Baby'

Phormium 'Bronze Baby', commonly known as Bronze Flax, is a compact New Zealand native flax admired for its fine, arching leaves in rich bronze...

OUT OF STOCK
Dianella caerulea plants with blue flowers.
Dianella caerulea (Paroo Lily)

Dianella caerulea, commonly known as the NZ Flax Lily or Paroo Lily, is an herbaceous perennial that bears spikes carrying delicate blue and yellow...

OUT OF STOCK
Astelia fragrans (Bush Flax) plant with lush green foliage growing beside a track.
Astelia fragrans (Bush Flax)

Astelia fragrans, commonly known as Bush Flax or Kakaha, is a hardy, clump-forming native plant of New Zealand. It features long, arching green...

OUT OF STOCK
Dianella Revelation plants growing in a garden.
Dianella 'Revelation'

Dianella 'Revelation' features flower stems that rise above the foliage through spring and summer to bear masses of delicate, blue flowers, which...

OUT OF STOCK
Phormium tenax

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You might be interested in exploring related Latin Names - Phormium, or related Categories - Flaxes.

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What is Giant Flax?

Giant flax refers primarily to Phormium tenax, the largest species of New Zealand flax. It can reach heights of up to 3 metres, with broad, upright leaves forming impressive clumps. The plant is valued for its resilience, thriving in a range of conditions from moist wetlands to exposed coastal areas. Its striking foliage provides year-round interest, and its towering flower stems attract native birds such as tūī and bellbird. For gardeners seeking a robust, low-maintenance plant, giant flax is a natural fit.

Uses for Giant Flax in the Garden

Giant flax is exceptionally versatile. It works well as a specimen plant, in mixed borders, or as a windbreak and erosion control along coastal gardens. Its strong architectural form allows you to anchor planting schemes, bringing texture and movement to spaces. In smaller gardens, giant flax adds height and drama, especially when paired with other New Zealand natives. If you're after a bold focal point that is both beautiful and practical, giant flax ticks all the boxes.

Giant Flax Varieties and Related Flaxes

New Zealand flaxes come in a range of sizes and colours. While Phormium tenax is the classic giant flax, other striking cultivars offer variations in foliage colour and shape. For gardeners wanting something different, consider:

Growing and Caring for Giant Flax

Giant flax is easy to grow. Plant it in full sun to partial shade, in soils ranging from sandy to clay. It's highly tolerant of wind, salt spray, and periods of drought, making it ideal for coastal gardens and exposed sites. Regular removal of dead leaves and spent flower stems keeps your giant flax looking its best. As a low-maintenance, eco-friendly option, giant flax supports local wildlife and fits beautifully with sustainable NZ garden design.

If you're searching for the perfect giant flax or want to explore the wide world of New Zealand flaxes, browse our range for quality plants and expert advice.

Contact us

Whether you need assistance finding the plant you’re looking for or you simply want to know more about who we are and what we do, we invite you to get in touch with us today. A member of The Plant Company team will get back in touch as soon as possible.

Illustration of plant leaves.
Lomandra Lime Tuff and Cereus tetragonus have stood the test of time, but new generations of gardeners are discovering Portulacaria afra 'Variegata', Camellia 'Paradise Blush', and Magnolia grandiflora 'Russet'.
–The Plant Company

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