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variegated phormium

Variegated phormium is a stunning option for anyone seeking bold foliage and reliable structure in their garden. Renowned for its colourful, striped leaves, this distinctive New Zealand native brings architectural interest to coastal, modern, and classic landscapes. If you're searching for dramatic texture, hardiness, and a low-maintenance feature plant, variegated phormium delivers vibrant results throughout the year.

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Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Variegata'

Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Variegata' is an attractive evergreen shrub renowned for its beautifully variegated foliage and elegant growth habit. The grey green leaves edged with creamy white provide year round colour and brightness, making this variety a standout feature in gardens and landscapes.

From $22.01

Suited to regions: All regions
Plant type: Shrubs
Height: 3.50 m
Spread: 2.50 m
Flowering time: Spring
Tolerances: Coastal, Hardy, Wet, Wind
Garden uses: Hedging, Living areas, Parks, Ponds, Pool areas, Screening, Specimen
Garden styles: Alpine, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Formal, Frontyard, Japanese, Modern, Native
Polemonium 'Stairway to Heaven' plant in a garden with variegated leaves and blue flowers.

Polemonium 'Stairway to Heaven'

Polemonium 'Stairway to Heaven' is a stunning perennial admired for its finely divided variegated foliage and clusters of soft lavender blue bell shaped flowers that appear during spring and early summer. The attractive cream and green foliage often develops pink tinges, creating year round interest in New Zealand gardens.

From $30.29

Suited to regions: All regions
Plant type: Perennials
Height: 50 cm
Spread: 40 cm
Flowering time: Spring, Summer
Garden uses: Borders, Containers, Living areas, Paths & Steps, Pool areas
Garden styles: Backyard, City & Courtyard, Frontyard, Japanese, Modern, Tropical
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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...

From$14.95
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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 '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 '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 '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
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
Pittosporum 'Marjorie Channon' variegated foliage.
Pittosporum 'Marjorie Channon' (Kohuhu)

Pittosporum 'Marjorie Channon' is a popular evergreen shrub admired for its striking variegated foliage. Its green leaves are edged with creamy...

From$22.01
Trachelospermum jasminoides variegatum white flowers and variegated leaves.
Trachelospermum jasminoides variegatum (Variegated Star Jasmine)

Trachelospermum jasminoides variegatum is a striking evergreen climber featuring glossy green leaves edged with creamy-white margins. In summer, it...

From$16.50
Coprosma kirkii 'Variegata' plants in pots.
Coprosma kirkii 'variegata'

Coprosma kirkii 'Variegata' is a hardy NZ native groundcover shrub admired for its trailing habit and attractive variegated foliage of green edged...

From$17.95
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 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
Dianella 'Margaret Pringle' plant in a pot.
Dianella 'Margaret Pringle'

Dianella 'Margaret Pringle' bears spikes carrying delicate, blue flowers in spring, which are followed by small, blue berries in summer. These are...

From$20.63
Pittosporum eugenioides variegatum lush foliage.
Pittosporum eugenioides 'variegatum' (Variegated Tarata)

Pittosporum eugenioides 'variegatum', commonly known as Variegated Tarata, features slender, dark coloured stems which bear dark green leaves with a...

From$22.01
Phormium tenax plant in a garden with green foliage.
Phormium tenax

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...

From$7.50
Cornus controversa variegata (Wedding Cake Tree) specimen in a large garden.
Cornus controversa variegata

Cornus controversa variegata, commonly referred to as the Wedding Cake Tree, features tiered branches that bear leaves that are variegated cream and...

From$349.95
Acorus gramineus variegata plants growing in pots with green and cream foliage.
Acorus gramineus variegatus

Acorus gramineus variegatus, commonly known as Variegated Sweet Flag, is an attractive ornamental grass-like plant prized for its elegant green and...

From$12.95
Hemerocallis 'Golden Zebra' plant with yellow flowers.
Hemerocallis 'Golden Zebra'

Hemerocallis 'Golden Zebra' is a striking daylily admired for its golden yellow flowers and attractive variegated arching foliage. Flowering through...

From$19.25
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Viburnum tinus 'Variegatum'

Viburnum tinus 'Variegatum' is an attractive evergreen shrub prized for its cream and green variegated foliage that provides year round colour and...

From$27.53
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Acer 'Esk Sunset'

Acer 'Esk Sunset' is a stunning deciduous maple prized for its richly variegated foliage with green leaves flushed in pink, cream, and purple...

From$299.95
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Acer palmatum 'Ukigumo'

Acer palmatum 'Ukigumo' is a rare and highly ornamental Japanese Maple treasured for its striking white and pink variegated foliage. Often called the...

From$349.95
Variegated Monstera plant in a pot with cream and green foliage.
Monstera albo 'variegata'

The Albo Variegata Monstera, also known as the Variegated Monstera, is a striking indoor plant prized for its large, split leaves splashed with...

From$149.95
Ophiopogon japonicus Silver Mist grass in a garden.
Ophiopogon 'Silver Mist' (Silver Mondo Grass)

Ophiopogon 'Silver Mist' is a dwarf silver Mondo Grass, and features fine, grass-like foliage that is variegated dark green and white. It typically...

From$6.95
Buxus sempervirens variegata (Variegated Box) shrub with lush and colourful foliage.
Buxus sempervirens 'variegata'

Buxus sempervirens 'variegata' features small, mid-green leaves with cream-white edges on new growth, which age to become a darker green. It grows to...

From$17.95
Griselinia Variegata growing in a garden.
Griselinia littoralis variegata (Variegated Griselinia)

Griselinia littoralis variegata carries dark green leaves with a heavy cream edge. This fast-growing evergreen typically reaches 2 m in height and...

From$18.95
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Acer palmatum 'Shirazz'

Acer palmatum 'Shirazz' is a stunning variegated Japanese Maple admired for its rich purple red foliage edged with soft pink. The colourful leaves...

From$299.95
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Agave americana 'Variegata' (Variegated Century Plant)

Agave americana 'Variegata' is a striking evergreen succulent valued for its bold architectural form and strongly variegated foliage. It forms a...

From$15.95
Cordyline australis albertii plants with variegated foliage.
Cordyline albertii

Cordyline albertii (Variegated Cabbage Tree) is a striking evergreen tree admired for its bold green leaves edged with creamy white variegation. This...

From$340.69
Hedera 'Silver Variegata' dark green and cream variegated foliage.
Hedera 'Silver Variegated'

Hedera 'Silver Variegated' is a striking evergreen ivy with silvery-green leaves edged in creamy white. Its elegant variegation brightens shaded...

From$14.95
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...

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Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Variegata'

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You might be interested in exploring related Latin Names - Phormium, Pittosporum, and Polemonium, or related Categories - Flaxes, Perennials, and Evergreen Shrubs.

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What Is Variegated Phormium?

Variegated phormium, commonly known as New Zealand flax, refers to several cultivars of Phormium with striking multicoloured leaves. These varieties feature bands or stripes of cream, yellow, pink, or red running along deep green, olive, or bronze blades. The bold leaf variegation stands out not only in mixed borders but also in containers or as focal points.

Popular variegated cultivars include Phormium 'Tricolour', which offers bright cream and red margins, and Phormium 'Pink Panther', prized for its rich pink hues. These types of phormium provide contrasting tones that add energy and visual interest to any outdoor space.

How to Grow Variegated Phormium

One reason for the popularity of variegated phormium is its effortless care. These flaxes thrive in full sun or partial shade and cope well with a range of soil types, as long as drainage is reasonable. Naturally suited to coastal New Zealand conditions, phormium tolerates wind, salt, and moderate drought once established.

Plant in groups for a lush, textural effect, or dot individual plants through a gravel or Mediterranean-style garden. Variegated phormium creates a dynamic backdrop for flowering shrubs, ornamental grasses, or bolder foliage plants like Peperomia clusiifolia.

Design Uses for Variegated Phormium

Thanks to eye-catching form and evergreen leaves, variegated phormium shines as both a statement plant and an informal screen. It pairs beautifully with contemporary architecture but also suits classic cottage borders. Try combining variegated phormium with contrasting textures, such as the fine foliage of Pleioblastus viridistriatus (Pleioblastus), for a dramatic mixed planting.

Other popular cultivars like Phormium 'Veneer' introduce subtle pewter and burgundy tones, providing more options for creative garden schemes. Whether you use variegated phormium in pots, around pools, or as roadside feature plants, these flaxes will provide colour and movement through all seasons.

Caring for Your Variegated Phormium

Maintaining the vibrancy of variegated phormium is straightforward. Remove spent leaves from the base to keep clumps tidy. Mulch annually and feed in spring for best leaf colour. Regular watering helps young plants establish, after which they require little maintenance. With their robust nature, variegated phormium is a fantastic choice for both urban gardeners and rural landscapes.

Explore our full range, including Phormium 'Tricolour', Phormium 'Pink Panther', and Phormium 'Veneer', to find the perfect variegated phormium for your garden. Embrace the easy-care brilliance and lasting colour that only these wonderful New Zealand flaxes can bring.

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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.
You’ve probably heard of our garden favourites like Griselinia 'Ardmore Emerald' and Buxus sempervirens 'Silver Beauty' (Silver Boxwood), but did you know we also grow hidden gems like Kumquat 'Meiwa', Feijoa 'White Goose', and Vinca 'Elizabeth Cran'?
–The Plant Company

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