Phormium cookianum

'Mountain Flax'. Rather different to P. tenax, the 'New Zealand Flax', this is smaller and greener. The luxuriant evergreen foliage makes splendid clumps to 1.5m across and 75cm high, with the 1.5m tall inflorescences bearing yellow flowers in summer. Tough and very wind tolerant, for most soils, light or heavy. Derived from a cold mountain location on South Island NZ, this is hardier than P. tenax.