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| Category: Perennial |
| Family: Phormiaceae (~Xanthorrhoeaceae) |
| Origin: New Zealand (Australasia) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Yellow/Chartreuse Foliage: Yes |
| Variegated Foliage: Yes |
| Flower Color: Yellow |
| Bloomtime: Spring/Summer |
| Synonyms: [P. 'Handyside Sport'] |
| Height: 1-2 feet |
| Width: 3-4 feet |
| Exposure: Cool Sun/Light Shade |
| Seaside: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 15-20° F |
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Phormium cookianum 'Blondie' PP24,399 (Narrow-leafed Variegated Mountain Flax) – This New Zealand Flax cultivar that grows to 2 feet tall with long narrow strongly reflexed and slightly twisting leaves with cream-yellow midstripe and green margins. Plant in full sun to shade - may sunburn in full sun in Southern California. It can tolerate fairly dry conditions (coastal) but looks best with occasional to regular irrigation. Hardy to 15-20° F and is possibly root hardy below these temperatures but can suffer severe foliage damage unless protected. This is a really interesting new Phormium cultivar that we were among the first to trial in the US in early 2011. With its very weepy foliage it should be great in a large pot where it almost looks like a giant Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum) and in fact if the pot is tall enough the plant would look much taller as the foliage will trail down well below the soil level – quite interesting! It is a sport of the beautiful Phormium 'Cream Delight' (itself a sport of P. cookianum ssp. hookeri 'Tricolor') and like these parent plants 'Blondie' should prove to be a great plant in light shade where is can brighten up a dark area. It was discovered by Paul Robert Handyside of Tauranga, New Zealand. It was granted protection in New Zealand by Plant Variety Rights in March of 2010 and its US Plant Patent number 24,399 on April 22, 2014. It is being marketed in the US by PlantHaven and we have grown this interesting and attractive plant since 2012. In 2020 it was added to the Sunset Western Garden Collection and is also being marketed to retail nurseries through them.
The information about Phormium cookianum 'Blondie' PP24,399 displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant. |
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