wharariki
about.
Phormium cookianum | wharariki, mountain flax
A versatile New Zealand native featuring long, gently arching, glossy green leaves that provide a unique weeping aesthetic. Smaller than P. tenax (harakeke) , it grows to 1.5m tall and wide in full sun with good drainage. Its expansive root system makes it excellent for erosion control on banks. It produces nectar from early to mid-summer and fruit/seeds from mid to late summer, attracting pollinators and birds. This hardy plant tolerates dry, cold, and exposed conditions, making it suitable for mixed and border plantings, around water features, and in coastal gardens.
typical habitat.
coastal scrub
coastal forest
lowland forest
montane forest
subalpine scrub
riparian forest
forest margins
scrubland
cliff tops
drainage.
moist
well drained
free draining
dry
sun.
full sun
partial shade
mature specifications.
height | 1.5m
width | 1.5m
pollinators calendar.
flowering | (September-) October-November (-January)
fruiting | (November-) December (-March)
did you know?
The clearest way to distinguish Phormium cookianum from Phormium tenax isby their flower and seed presentation. P. tenax displays upright flowers and straight seed pods, while P. cookianum's flowers droop on the stem, and its seed capsules are twisted and pendulous.
