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Phormium Rainbow Maiden

Phormium Rainbow Maiden

$20.00
$20.00
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Pot Size/Grade

Phormium ‘Rainbow Maiden’ is a compact NZ flax that brings year-round colour without being a drama queen. Its upright, arching leaves are striped in green with warm tones through gold/cream and pink, often deepening to bronze-pink edges in cooler weather.

It typically grows to around 1–1.2 m tall and about the same wide, so it’s a great fit for borders, modern landscaping, pots, and mass planting where you want structure and colour that still looks tidy.
Once established, Phormium ‘Rainbow Maiden’ handles wind, coastal exposure, and drier spells far better than most feature foliage plants.

  • Expected 5 Year Height 1.2 M Width 1.2 M

Is Phormium Rainbow Maiden suitable for my garden?

Phormium Rainbow Maiden is best suited in a position that gets

  • Partial shade
  • Full sun

Phormium Rainbow Maiden is

  • Wind Tolerant
  • Frost Tolerant
  • Coastal Friendly
  • Fast-growing
  • Cold hardy
  • Evergreen
  • NZ Native

Phormium Rainbow Maiden will thrive in soil that is

How to establish your Phormium Rainbow Maiden?

Position

Full sun to part shade. For the best colour and tighter growth, give it sun (especially in the South Island).

In very hot, reflective spots (north-facing walls, paving), a little afternoon shade can keep foliage looking fresher.

Soil
Likes well-drained soil. It’s adaptable, but it won’t thank you for sitting wet in winter—on clay, plant slightly raised/mounded.

Watering (first season)
Water well at planting and keep it consistently moist for the first 6–10 weeks. After that, deep water during dry spells through the first summer. It becomes drought tolerant once established.

Spacing
Allow about 1 m between plants for a full clump shape (closer if you want a faster “solid” look). Mature size is commonly around 1–1.2 m x 1–1.2 m.

Frost note (South Island reality check)
Generally copes with light frosts, but in colder inland pockets, plant in a sheltered spot and mulch the base for the first couple of winters.

How to maintain your Phormium Rainbow Maiden once established?

Grooming: Once or twice a year, pull or snip off old, tatty outer leaves at the base to keep the clump sharp (gloves help).

Flower stalks: If it flowers, remove spent stalks once finished to keep it tidy (or leave if you like the structure).

Feed + mulch (spring): A light feed in spring and a mulch top-up helps colour and growth, especially in poorer soils.

Divide if needed: Every 5–8 years (or when it gets crowded), lift and divide the clump in spring to refresh it.
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