Phormium cookianum
Encyclopedia
Phormium cookianum is a perennial plant that is native to New Zealand
. It is less common than the other Phormium species, P.tenax
. The greenish, yellow or orange flowers are followed by twisted seed pods.
is much shorter than that of P. tenax, rising up to 2 metres in height while that of P. tenax is around 5 metres in height. The colour of the inner tepals is green while the outer tepals are yellow to red. In contrast the tepals of P. tenax are a dull red, with the tips of the inner tepals being less strongly recurved. The capsules of P. cookianum, unlike those of P. tenax are twisted and pendulous, and may be twice as long (up to 20 cm in length).
Phormium cookianum has two distinct geographic forms, one occurring in lowland parts of the North Island
, and the other in the southern and mountainous areas of the South Island
as well as ranges in the North Island. The lowland form has green or yellow tepals and the mountain form has red tepals. In the Cook Strait
area, both forms and intermediates can be found.
in 1844 in the London Journal of Botany, the name given as Phormium forsterianum. From about 1846 the species was known as P. colensoi, a name that was not published until 1848 by J.D. Hooker in Handbook of the New Zealand Flora. Earlier in the year however, Le Jolis had published the species as P. cookianum. Another specimen, believed to be identical to a plant found by Ronald Gunn at the Waitangi River
in 1864, was described from a plant growing in a garden in Torquay, England was given the name P. hookeri.
There is also a dwarf cultivar, and hybrid cultivars have been selected from crosses with Phormium tenax P. cookianum cultivars are regarded as less hardy than other Phormium cultivars.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is less common than the other Phormium species, P.tenax
Phormium tenax
Phormium tenax is an evergreen perennial plant native to New Zealand and Norfolk Island that is an important fibre plant and a popular ornamental plant...
. The greenish, yellow or orange flowers are followed by twisted seed pods.
Description
The leaves are under 2 metres in length while those of P. tenax range from 1 to 3 metres in length. The scapeScape (botany)
In botany, scapes are leafless flowering stems that rise from the ground. Scapes can have a single flower or many flowers, depending on the species....
is much shorter than that of P. tenax, rising up to 2 metres in height while that of P. tenax is around 5 metres in height. The colour of the inner tepals is green while the outer tepals are yellow to red. In contrast the tepals of P. tenax are a dull red, with the tips of the inner tepals being less strongly recurved. The capsules of P. cookianum, unlike those of P. tenax are twisted and pendulous, and may be twice as long (up to 20 cm in length).
Phormium cookianum has two distinct geographic forms, one occurring in lowland parts of the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
, and the other in the southern and mountainous areas of the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
as well as ranges in the North Island. The lowland form has green or yellow tepals and the mountain form has red tepals. In the Cook Strait
Cook Strait
Cook Strait is the strait between the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It connects the Tasman Sea on the west with the South Pacific Ocean on the east....
area, both forms and intermediates can be found.
Taxonomy
The species was originally mentioned without description by William ColensoWilliam Colenso
William Colenso was a Cornish Christian missionary to New Zealand, and also a printer, botanist, explorer and politician.-Life:Born in Penzance, Cornwall, he was the cousin of John William Colenso, Bishop of Natal...
in 1844 in the London Journal of Botany, the name given as Phormium forsterianum. From about 1846 the species was known as P. colensoi, a name that was not published until 1848 by J.D. Hooker in Handbook of the New Zealand Flora. Earlier in the year however, Le Jolis had published the species as P. cookianum. Another specimen, believed to be identical to a plant found by Ronald Gunn at the Waitangi River
Waitangi River
Waitangi River is the name of two rivers in the far north of New Zealand's North Island.* Waitangi River * Waitangi River...
in 1864, was described from a plant growing in a garden in Torquay, England was given the name P. hookeri.
Cultivars
A number of forms of this species have been selected for cultivation including:- 'Black Adder'
- 'Cream Delight', a variety derived from P. cookianum subsp. hookeri
- 'Dark Delight' has deep-red leaves up to 1.2 metres in length
- 'Duet' , a dwarf variety up to 30 cm in height with cream and green variegated foliage
- 'Flamingo'
- 'Golden Wonder'
- 'Maori Maiden' (also known as 'Rainbow Maiden') , an erect growing variety with leaves to 1 metre in length with bronze stripes.
- 'Sundowner', a variety with very long leaves which are up to 1.8 metres long. These have a purple centre and cream edges.
- 'Tricolor', an upright variety that has leaves with red, yellow and green stripes. The flowers are pale yellowish-green. It is derived from P. cookianum subsp. hookeri.
There is also a dwarf cultivar, and hybrid cultivars have been selected from crosses with Phormium tenax P. cookianum cultivars are regarded as less hardy than other Phormium cultivars.
Uses
A number of traditional cultivars have been used by the Māori for various purposes:- Wharariki - a variety from Urewera has a superior fibre quality that may be woven into a soft kete (traditional Māori basket). It has a slight yellow colouration when dried. Another variety from TairāwhitiTairawhitiTe Hui Amorangi O Te Tai Rawhiti is an Episcopal polity of Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. The Hui Amorangi covers the East Coast of the North Island. In general this covers the Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu and the Turanga-nui-a-kiwa iwi. According to the 2001 census there...
is suitable for soft baskets, rorou and toys.
- Whakaari - a variety with leaves suitable for weaving ketes, but less suitable than other cultivars for piupiu (Māori skirts). The leaves have strong blades and dry naturally to a deep green colour, or to a pale greenish-fawn after being boiled for a minute.