Phormium Tenax "Harakeke" Seeds

PHORMIUM TENAX      “Harakeke” 

Family: Asphodelaceae.  

Sprouting: 30-180 days.

An evergreen perennial plant native to New Zealand and Norfolk Island. Known as ‘Harakeke’ in Māori; ‘Flax’ in New Zealand English; ‘New Zealand Flax’ outside New Zealand; and ‘New Zealand Hemp’ in historical nautical settings. An important fibre plant and a popular ornamental plant that grows as a clump of long, straplike leaves, up to 2m, from this, a much taller flowering shoot, with dramatic yellow or red flowers arises. In recent times it has been broadly used as an ornamental garden plant, with its’ remarkable fans of pointed leaves providing a strong focal point.  Easy to grow in a sunny spot, especially in coastal areas (with some protection in winter).  

The fibre has been widely used since the arrival of Māori to New Zealand, originally in Māori traditional textiles and also in rope and sail making after the arrival of Europeans until at least WWII. It has had many uses in traditional Māori society, most commonly the use of stripped, dried leaves as broad bands, such as in the weaving of kete (flax baskets), and the scraping, pounding, and washing of the leaves to create a fibre (muka) which is used to weave soft, durable fabric for clothing. It is also used as a decorative and structural element in tukutuku, the panelling found within Mãori wharenui (meeting houses). 

CAUTIONS:

The blades of the plant contain cucurbitacins, which are poisonous to some animals.

It is considered an invasive species in some of the Pacific islands and in Australia. 

Photo: Simon Steinberger at Pixabay, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons; retrieved 27May 2024 –3.58pm AEST and edited using Canva.

****Please note: these are seeds (we are NOT selling these as live plants). Quarantine restrictions and costs prohibit us from selling these seeds to WA, Tas, and Internationally.