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Phormium cultivar groups

06 Oct 2005

This page: Introduction - Cultivar groups - Shape groups

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Several hundred ornamental Phormium cultivars have been named and in an attempt at classification, we have grouped the plants we have in our collection, or have seen in other places, according to colour and shape. Cultivars are first grouped according to leaf colour. Within each colour group the cultivars are then classified according to the general shape of the plant.

Cultivar groups

1. Green - The leaf colour is green without any variegation although the margins and midrib are often a different colour.

1.1 Upright

'Black Edge'
'Goliath'

1.2 Spreading

1.3 Arching

'Emerald Isle'
'Limelight'
'Fountains'

1.4 Twisted

1.5 Dwarf

'Green Gem'

2. Brown - This includes all non-variegated plants whose leaf colour is some shade of brown.

2.1 Upright

'Bronze'
'Coppershine'
'Purpureum'
'Dusky Chief'
'Fortescue's Bronze'
'Mahogany'
'Maori Elegance'
'Maori Eclipse'

2.2 Spreading

'Amazing Red'
'Bronze Baby'
'Copper Beauty'
'Dark Delight'
'Dusky Princess'
'Maori Eclipse'
'Purpureum'

2.3 Arching

'Rubra'
'Platt's Black'

2.4 Twisted

'Jack Spratt'

2.5 Dwarf

'Nanum Purpureum'
'Thumbelina'

3. Yellow variegated - Plants that have white, yellow, cream or gold stripes against a background colour of green or bronze.

3.1 Upright

'Lineata'
'Variegatum'
'Veitchianum'

3.2 Spreading

'Alison Blackman'
'Apricot Queen'
'Duet'
'Gold Sword'
'Golden Wonder'
'Golden Ray'
'Radiance'

3.3 Arching

'Cream Delight'
'Tricolour'
'Yellow Wave'

3.4 Twisted

3.5 Dwarf

4. Red variegated - Plants that have white, yellow, cream or gold stripes against a background colour of green or bronze.

4.1 Upright

'Buckland Ruby'
'Firebird'
'Guardsman'
'Maori Chief'
'Sundance'
'Sundowner'
'Sunset'

4.2 Spreading

'Crimson Devil'
'Dazzler'
'Margaret Jones'
'Maori Maiden'
'Maori Queen'
'Pink Stripe'

4.3 Arching

'Emerald Pink'
'Evening Glow'
'Flamingo'
'Jester'
'Maori Sunrise'
'Pink Panther'

4.4 Twisted

4.5 Dwarf

5. Brown variegated - Green leaves with brown or greyish-brown stripes.

5.1 Upright

5.2 Spreading

'Co-ordination'
'Sea Jade'

5.3 Arching

5.4 Twisted

'Bronze Surfer'
'Surfer'
'Surfer Boy'
'Tom Thumb'

5.5 Dwarf

Shape groups

1. Upright	Plants in this group have leaves that are rigid and upright. The tips of the older leaves may arch slightly and are often split at the ends.
2. Spreading	Generally smaller growing types where the leaves are less rigid but still tend to grow mainly upwards and only arch at the tips.
3. Arching	Softer leaves that are strongly arching and often touch the ground at the tips.
4. Twisted	There are a number of cultivars that have relatively small and rigid leaves that tend to be strongly keeled, wavy edged or slightly twisted.
5. Dwarf	Plants that have distinctly dwarf leaves that tend to grow in a dense cluster. Occasionally there are larger leaves among the small ones.

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