Phormium tenax 'KFPHPM18'

Petite Indigo® Ruby New Zealand Flax

Phormium 'Petite Indigo Ruby'

Evergreen Grass / Grass-Like, Tender Perennial

New Zealand flax earns its keep in the foliage-first garden. Most cultivars earn it loudly—six-foot arching swords in burgundy or bronze, unmissable and demanding in equal measure. Petite Indigo® Ruby is a different proposition.

Phormium tenax 'KFPHPM18' is listed at ten inches tall by twelve wide, though I wouldn't be surprised if it sizes up a bit beyond that in practice—still dwarf and compact, just possibly more generous than the tag suggests. The foliage is deep maroon, each narrow leaf edged with a fine dark-pink margin that traces the outline and catches the light. The clump arches slightly and stays tidy. It's a plant that works at the front of a border, in a container, or massed where you want the color to repeat without the bulk.

One honest note for zone 8 gardeners: phormiums are not fully reliable here. Some winters they sail through; others they don't. Worth the gamble, but go in with eyes open.

Growing Conditions

Zone: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 8b, 9a

Exposure: Full Sun, Part Sun, Afternoon Sun

Water Needs: Occasional, Regular / Even

Description

Size: 10" - 12" tall x 12" - 18" wide
Shape / Form: Clumping, Compact, Strappy
Foliage Texture: Fine, Medium
Foliage Quality: Fine, Medium

Features: Attractive Foliage, Dwarf / Compact Plant, Low Maintenance, Winter Interest, Year-round Interest

Foliage Color: Magenta / Deep Pink, Red
Leaf Shape: Grassy, Strappy




Uses and Applications

Landscape Uses: Beds and Borders, Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Small Gardens, Specimen
Special Situations: Courtyard / Urban Garden, Once-a-Year Maintenance

More Design Considerations

Season of Interest: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, Year-round Interest, Three Seasons of Interest
Position / Role: front of border

Care and Maintenance

Maintenance Level: low

Suitable Substitutes

Phormium 'Jester' | Jester New Zealand Flax