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Products > Phormium 'Rubrum'   Phormium 'Rubrum' - New Zealand Flax     [2nd Image] Habit and Cultural Information Category: Perennial Family: Phormiaceae (~Xanthorrhoeaceae) Origin: New Zealand (Australasia) Evergreen: Yes Red/Purple Foliage: Yes Flower Color: Insignificant Bloomtime: Infrequent Height: 3-4 feet Width: 1-2 feet Exposure: Sun or Shade Seaside: Yes Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs Winter Hardiness: 15-20° F Phormium 'Rubrum' (New Zealand Flax) - New Zealand Flax cultivar that grows to only 3-4 feet tall with slighly arching maroon foliage. Plant in full sun to light shade. Can tolerate fairly dry conditions (coastal) but looks best with occasional to regular irrigation. Hardy to 15-20 F. Possibly root hardy below these temperatures but with severe foliage damage unless protected. Introduced in the US by Malanseuns Pleasure Plants of South Africa. A great little red flax with an unfortunately confusing name as there have been many cultivars and seed strains with the name 'Rubrum'. We originally received this plant as a dwarf form that would grow to 2-3 feet tall but have seen it reach this height and then some in containers. Now we list it as growing to 3-4 feet but in 2003 we had reports from a customer that this plant can get even taller, more like 4-5 feet tall. The beautiful mass planting of this cultivar that was installed in May 2010 in the City of Santa Barbara's Xeriscape garden at Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden has remained at around 3 feet tall and looks great!  The information about Phormium 'Rubrum' displayed on this page is based on research conducted in our nursery library and from online sources we consider reliable. We will also relate those observations made of this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and in other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has additional information, particularly when they share cultural information that would aid others in growing it.     [MORE INFO]