Phormium tenax variegatum 
Native of New Zealand. 
Nat. Order: Liutacea. Tribe: HEMEROCALLEA. 
Phormium tenax, Forst. ex Hooker W. in Bot. Mag. 
sub t. 3199 (1832). 
The variegated New Zealand flax is a most striking and 
effective object in the garden. It sends up its great sword- 
like leaves from seven to ten feet high, and they are nearly 
five inches in breadth. It is not particular as to soil, but I 
find the richer it is the better the plant thrives, and it will take 
almost any quantity of manure, though I have seen it growing 
most luxuriantly at Tresco in Scilly in very light sandy soil 
and probably without any manure whatever. There is one 
thing that it must have in a garden if you want a perfect 
specimen, and that is perfect shelter. The large leaves are 
very easily broken by the wind, and once broken there is 
nothing to be done but to cut them off. It will not reproduce 
the variegation true from seed, as out of 600 seedlings from 
the plant figured not one has shown the least sign of 
variegation. 
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