We have three varieties of Phormium, two in planters and a Phormium
tenax Variegatum we planted in a shrub border a few years ago. Its
leaves are now over 2 metres tall and whilst it had two flower stalks
last year, this year there are 12 panicles towering above the leaves.
Photos taken this evening.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124571...n/photostream/
--
rbel

On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 21:14:02 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:34:49 +0100, rbel wrote:


We have three varieties of Phormium, two in planters and a Phormium
tenax Variegatum we planted in a shrub border a few years ago. Its
leaves are now over 2 metres tall and whilst it had two flower stalks
last year, this year there are 12 panicles towering above the leaves.
Photos taken this evening.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124571...n/photostream/

Mine is almost identical, right down to the twelve flower stalks! The
seed pods have a rather exotic aroma, resembling vanilla IIRC, or is
it aniseed? I got my plant off a roadside dump that was being used for
garden waste.

Following your comment about the exotic aroma we have just been out
pulling the panicles down to nose height (amazing how flexible the
stems are) and deeply inhaling, unfortunately to no avail. Not a hint
of a scent, pong or effluvium!

Also checked the potted Yellow Wave variety which has just 2 panicles
and no luck there either.

There is a bit of a breeze up here at the moment so it is possible
that the scent is being dispersed/diluted.
--
rbel

On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 22:09:35 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 22:06:28 +0100, rbel wrote:

On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 21:14:02 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:34:49 +0100, rbel wrote:


We have three varieties of Phormium, two in planters and a Phormium
tenax Variegatum we planted in a shrub border a few years ago. Its
leaves are now over 2 metres tall and whilst it had two flower stalks
last year, this year there are 12 panicles towering above the leaves.
Photos taken this evening.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124571...n/photostream/

Mine is almost identical, right down to the twelve flower stalks! The
seed pods have a rather exotic aroma, resembling vanilla IIRC, or is
it aniseed? I got my plant off a roadside dump that was being used for
garden waste.

Following your comment about the exotic aroma we have just been out
pulling the panicles down to nose height (amazing how flexible the
stems are) and deeply inhaling, unfortunately to no avail. Not a hint
of a scent, pong or effluvium!

Also checked the potted Yellow Wave variety which has just 2 panicles
and no luck there either.

There is a bit of a breeze up here at the moment so it is possible
that the scent is being dispersed/diluted.

I think it's the seed pods that form after the flowers that have the
aroma. You open them up and release the smell.


Many thanks Chris, I will try them again in due course.
--
rbel