Asphodelaceae
New Zealand flax
Phormium tenax
- Family
- Asphodelaceae
- Genus
- Phormium
Pets and kids
- CatsNot sure
- DogsNot sure
- KidsNot sure
Why
Cats: Not sure
We found no reliable source on this plant for cats, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.
Dogs: Not sure
We found no reliable source on this plant for dogs, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.
Kids: Not sure
We found no reliable source on this plant for young children, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with a doctor or poison control.
Ate some? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). For a child, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). If they are struggling to breathe or collapse, call 911. Don't give anything by mouth unless a vet or poison expert tells you to.
Is yours looking unwell? Scan your plant — free
Common names
By language (22)
- Arabic
- كستان زيلنده الجديدة
- arz
- تينكس فورميوم
- Asturian
- Espadañu
- Chinese
- 新西兰麻, 新西蘭麻, 纽西蘭麻, 麻兰
- cv
- Çĕнĕ Зеланди йĕтĕнĕ
- Czech
- Lenovník novozélandský
- English
- New Zealand flax, Harakeke, New Zealand hemp
- Galician
- Formio
- Georgian
- Ახალზელანდიური სელი
- German
- Neuseeländer Flachs, Neuseelandflachs, Neuseelandhanf
- Hungarian
- Új-zélandi kender
- Igbo
- Harakeke, New Zealand flax, New Zealand hemp
- Italian
- Categoria:Phormium tenax
- Japanese
- マオラン
- Kazakh
- Жаңа Зеландия зығыры
- Korean
- 뉴질랜드삼
- Macedonian
- Новозеландски лен
- Māori
- Harakeke, Kōrari
- Persian
- فرمیوم تنکس
- Polish
- Tęgosz mocny
- Russian
- Новозеландский лён, Формиум прочный
- Welsh
- Llin Seland Newydd
Synonyms
- Chlamydia tenacissima Gaertn.
- Lachenalia ramosa Lam.
- Phormium ramosum (Lam.) Billb.
- Phormium tenax f. atropurpureum Voss
Flowers
- In flower
- October to January (from 290 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)
Characteristics
- Growth habit
- Forb/herb, Subshrub
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- In the US and Canada
- Hawaii: introduced
Photos
FlowerPhoto: John Barkla, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
FlowerPhoto: Duncan Cunningham, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
FlowerPhoto: Alice Shanks, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: strewick, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Avenue, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Gertie Rosier, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: John Barkla, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Allison Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: René Aalmoes, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Jon Sullivan, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: langella annamaria, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
More in Phormium
Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.