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IRISH GARDENING 



New Zealand Flax. 



Although Phormium tenax appears to have 

 been introduced to our islands in 1798 it seems 

 to have been not until the middle of the last 

 century that it seriously claimed attention as a 

 hardy plant, and from thence for a decade or 

 two notices are frequently met with in the 

 gardening Press of that period from far and 

 near localities evincing satisfaction at its fast 

 proving hardy character. The generic family 

 name Phormium bestowed on it by Thunberg, 



met with. Phormium Hookeri. described as 

 having dark green, flaccid leaves six feet long and 

 nearly three inches wide, bearing spikes of 

 yellowish-green flowers, was introduced in 1864, 

 and flowered at Kew in 1894, but this appears 

 to be a somewhat tender species. 



Some Others. — P. Cookianum is a dwarf 

 species interesting to those who care for variety, 

 hut we had great hopes of P. tenax atro- 

 purpureum a few years since, the possibility 

 lying in its striking purplish-coppery hue, as 

 seen in young plants, which has not been borne 



The Powerscourt New Zealand Flax?and Gunnera mantcata 



the Swedish botanist, derived from phormos, a 

 basket, is suggestive of its economic use in the 

 Maori menage. 



Species and Varieties. — Phormium tenax 

 the typical plant, if one may thus term it. 

 characterised by its more; graceful semi- 

 pendulous habit, iii our experience flowers hut 

 occasionally. We have, in fact, had good 

 specimen clumps flowerless over many years, 

 until transplanting occurred, when I hey (lowered 



the following season. P. Colensoi, the so called 



Powerscourt form, in its stiff, upright growth, 



appears to flower annually, and these, apart 

 from the variegated forms, are the two generally 



out by its development, larger specimens taking 



on a washy tone as compared with its more 

 youthful stage. Last, not least, of those we 

 are acquainted with, apart from the variegated 



forms, comes the noblest of them all which we 



have not been able to identify, nor was it 

 recognised by the late Mr. P. W. Burbidge. 



Whilst less pendulous than tenax it has in 

 nowise the stiffness of Colensoi. hut the 



magnificent leaves far exceed in length and 



width either species. We have met with hut 

 three specimens, by tar the linesl clump of 



which is in t he old garden of t he Loreto Convent, 



Bray, and this we understand has not been 



