Phormium ID needed please, what variety is this ?

[Eric in Orlando]

This Phormium was planted out in 2010. It has survived 3 summers here in Florida and is going into its 4th. It grew in a container for a year before and when the container was changed out I planted it in the ground. Several other named varieties were too and they all died the first year. This one had no tag. It has been a smaller growing NZ Flax. Anyone know which one it might be ? It is only about 3ft tall.

Maybe 'Rubrum' ?

[Kim]

Could it be 'Surfer'? I used to grow that variety, and it was very short, had the dark edge on the leaf, and a similar growth habit -- kind of twisty and disorganized.

[monkeyranch]

Hard to tell, as, at least for me, colorful phormium varieties are prone to reversion when temps are hot. Was this once a colored clone that faded to green/burgandy-ish? 'Rubrum' is normally big, 5'H+ and most color-clones revert back to brownish-green under stress. Amazed it has made it this far in hot Florida. I've also lost some types to crown rot when they've been left in overheated containers too long during the summer. They seem to detest warm soil. They hold color better in Cali near the coast and during the cooler winter. There are lists on the net of varieties with low reversion rates. 'Yellow Wave' and 'Guardsman' have performed well under neglect. Cool to see Leu trialing these in FL.

[Palm crazy]

Could it be 'Surfer'? I used to grow that variety, and it was very short, had the dark edge on the leaf, and a similar growth habit -- kind of twisty and disorganized.

Kim is right its one of the ‘Sufer’ there’s several Sufer types…. or …. it could be Phormium ‘Tom Thumb’.

I don’t know why but I bought a P. ‘Sundowner’ those new foliage colors always trick me in to buying them once in a while.

Edited June 6, 2013 by Palm crazy

[Eric in Orlando]

Hard to tell, as, at least for me, colorful phormium varieties are prone to reversion when temps are hot. Was this once a colored clone that faded to green/burgandy-ish? 'Rubrum' is normally big, 5'H+ and most color-clones revert back to brownish-green under stress. Amazed it has made it this far in hot Florida. I've also lost some types to crown rot when they've been left in overheated containers too long during the summer. They seem to detest warm soil. They hold color better in Cali near the coast and during the cooler winter. There are lists on the net of varieties with low reversion rates. 'Yellow Wave' and 'Guardsman' have performed well under neglect. Cool to see Leu trialing these in FL.

No, this one has always been this color. Phormium, like Anigozanthos, are sometimes sold here. They grow well in winter and spring but die out in summer. For some reason this one has survived. It gets morning sun then bright shade the rest of the day and has good air circulation.

[Eric in Orlando]

Could it be 'Surfer'? I used to grow that variety, and it was very short, had the dark edge on the leaf, and a similar growth habit -- kind of twisty and disorganized.

Thanks, that looks like it may be that !

[Eric in Orlando]

Could it be 'Surfer'? I used to grow that variety, and it was very short, had the dark edge on the leaf, and a similar growth habit -- kind of twisty and disorganized.

Kim is right its one of the ‘Sufer’ there’s several Sufer types…. or …. it could be Phormium ‘Tom Thumb’.

I don’t know why but I bought a P. ‘Sundowner’ those new foliage colors always trick me in to buying them once in a while.

what about 'Jack Spratt' ?

[Palm crazy]

Could it be 'Surfer'? I used to grow that variety, and it was very short, had the dark edge on the leaf, and a similar growth habit -- kind of twisty and disorganized.

Kim is right its one of the ‘Sufer’ there’s several Sufer types…. or …. it could be Phormium ‘Tom Thumb’.

I don’t know why but I bought a P. ‘Sundowner’ those new foliage colors always trick me in to buying them once in a while.

what about 'Jack Spratt' ?

Eric your guess is as good as mine…LOL! Usually ‘Jack Spratt’ is much more darker or has dark brown tips… my guess would be ‘Surfer Green’?

But who know it could be something totally different.

Edited June 6, 2013 by Palm crazy

[Palm crazy]

Here’s a few common Phormiums in my garden taken this evening to show you the difference in color/

P. ’Rubrum'

P. ‘Platts black’

P. ‘Sundowner’ this one gets big at 7-9ft. Going in the ground this weekend.

[Philpalm]

Very nice, remember growing them back in Australia I love them but now here in the Philippines... dont think I have a chance in this humidity, I actually just ordered some seeds just to try but you never know?

Jerry.

[Eric in Orlando]

Very cool ! That is one plant I wish we could grow here. We have different Dianella and Lomandra that grow well here but Phormium are still a step above. My brother lives near Seattle and I always see them up there. Awesome plants.

[Sandy Loam]

Eric, I am glad to see that you are able to keep a phormium hybrid alive in Florida throughout four summers. Perhaps shade is the secret.

I have been growing phormium sundowner in Gainesville, Florida for over a year (survived all this summer) but it has hardly grown at all. This may be because it arrived bare-rooted and is still adapting, or it may because it doesn't like my climate. I planted it in a relatively shady location because I'd heard that phormium hybrids would melt under the Florida humidity by mid-summer. Mine hasn't melted and looks healthy enough, but it is behaving oddly. The leaves are all lying down on the ground, whereas they used to stand upright. I can't tell whether this is because the plant is looking for light or because it hates my summer humidity. I am prepared to plant it in a sunnier location, although I don't want to kill it with too much heat.

I am dumbfounded by this plant. You see phormium hybrids everywhere in California and they look huge, full and fantastic. They sit out in full sun there in sometimes extreme desert heat in southern California. Yet, despite this, they flourish there. It can't be the heat that is the problem, and it isn't as though there is no humidity in Southern California in the summer either.

What is the secret, everyone? Do I transplant it to a sunnier spot or keep it in its current sunnier location? Do I need to elevate it for better drainage? We have had huge quantities of rain this summer and last summer, and I am wondering if I need to try to emulate California's dryer soil conditions.

I just want it to thrive. By the way, I chose Phormium hybrid "sundowner" because I was told that it could take more heat and humidity than some of the others. This may be why it has not died during our Florida humidity this summer or last.

Your input is much appreciated, everyone. Eric, sorry to have digressed off-topic somewhat from your original question, but a year has passed.

Thanks.

[Eric in Orlando]

This Phormium dies this summer. 4 years isn't bad in FL.

[WestCoastGal]

Sorry to hear you lost your phormium Eric. I think it might be a variation of Sea Jade called Co-ordination. Sea Jade is pretty tall, 5 feet I think or taller, and Co-ordination is thought to be a shorter version of that or at least that is what my plant lady told me when she brought one to include in our yard. I'll grab a photo of it later today. It's suppose to be 3-4 feet according to the label that was on it. She said she found it at HD of all places, not in the wholesale nurseries in our area. Here's a photo of Sea Jade taken at a nursery I was at:

Then here's a UK nursery link to Co-ordination with photo and specs to compare it with.

http://www.mailordertrees.co.uk/Phormium+%27Co-ordination%27+%28New+Zealand+Flax%29/0_caaa104_caaa161/PRAA388.htm

Someone mentioned P. Tom Thumb which we also have planted in our yard. It's a favorite along with the Co-ordination as well. This photo is from our yard. Love the little quirky leaves on it and it stays I'd say around 2 feet if that.

Here's a link to a California nursery website showing it with its specs:

http://www.boethingtreeland.com/phormium-tenax-tom-thumb.html

I suspect too much water was more likely the cause of your plants decline than the sun. Both our Co-ordination and Tom Thumb sit in 90-100 sun for a good part of the day during the summer and retain their coloring and do well. A new gardener upped the scheduling of water to the Tom Thumbs and they started to get mealybugs in the crown. The emitters had been placed right up near the crown on them also and was probably a secondary cause of their decline. We moved the emitters and backed off the water. We are now treating them systemically and think we have it under control. Looking almost normal again after a few treatments over a number of weeks. Did loose one to rot though, the leaves dry up and pullout. Our Co-ordination started to get more sprinkler overspray this summer and began to look affected by too much water so made some changes around it as well. I think planting them slightly above ground to keep the crown drier is a key to healthy phormium as well as avoiding sprinklers. Seems strange to see leaves dry and turn brown from too much water but that's what we've observed. Assume the plant can't handle the excess water and so starts shutting down.

[JasonD]

Are there any New Zealand natives that can survive more than four years in Orlando?