Phormium colensoi 'Tricolor' (v)

RHS Plant Profile
mountain flax 'Tricolor'

Save a plant

Where do you want to save Phormium colensoi 'Tricolor' (v)?

Plants I own
Wishlist
Go to My Plants
mountain flax 'Tricolor' RHS 2002
mountain flax 'Tricolor' visionspictures.com
mountain flax 'Tricolor' visionspictures.com

Synonyms

Phormium cookianum 'Tricolor'
Phormium tenax 'Tricolor'
Phormium cookianum subsp. hookeri 'Tricolor'

Award of Garden Merit
Herbaceous Perennial
Thank you - your purchase supports our charity work Buy this from RHS Plants Shop
Buy online from £38.99Buy this from Plant Nurseries
19 Suppliers

An evergreen perennial making a large clump of sword-shaped leaves striped with yellow and green, edged with red. Flowers yellowish-green, in large panicles appear on mature plants in summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

1.5-2.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
1.5-2.5 metres
Max Height
1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H4

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Asphodelaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Clump forming
Genus
Phormium are evergreen perennials, making a large clump of leathery, strap-shaped leaves, with tall panicles of small, tubular flowers in summer
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun. In frost-prone areas, provide a deep, dry mulch in winter

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Architectural
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Low Maintenance
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Deadhead in autumn to prevent winter rocking which can damage the plant

Pests

May be susceptible to phormium mealybug

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely)