Phormium tenax Purpurea

Common Name:
Purple New Zealand Flax

Description:
Phormium tenax ‘Purpurea’ is a bold, evergreen flax variety known for its rich bronze to deep purple foliage that adds strong architectural form and colour to the landscape. The long, sword-like leaves grow in an upright, slightly arching clump, creating a striking feature in garden beds, large containers or as part of a structured planting design. This variety is more robust and larger growing than many hybrid flax cultivars, making it ideal for screening, feature planting or coastal landscapes. Well suited to Melbourne conditions, it thrives in full sun to part shade and prefers well-drained soil. It is highly tolerant of wind, salt spray and dry periods once established. In summer, mature plants may produce tall flower spikes with tubular blooms that attract birds and beneficial pollinators. ‘Purpurea’ offers year-round impact with minimal maintenance and is well suited to both residential and commercial landscapes.

Form:

• Shrub - Clumping / Grass-like / Mounding

Mature Size:

• Height: 2–3 m
• Width: 1.5–2.5 m

Aspect:

• Full Sun
• Part Shade

Flowering:

• Flowers in Summer

Flower Colour:

• Dull red
• Bronze-red

Key Attributes:

• Suitable for Pots (when young or maintained)
• Bird Attracting
• Perennial
• Drought tolerant once established
• Wind tolerant
• Coastal tolerant
• Low maintenance
• Architectural foliage
• Suitable for screening
• Suitable for feature planting

Toxicity:

• Generally considered non-toxic, though ingestion may cause mild gastrointestinal irritation in pets

Companion Plants:

• Lomandra
• Dianella
• Cordyline
• Hebe
• Correa
• Grevillea
• Agapanthus
• Carex