Plant Doctor Archive

Dwarf flaxes

I HAVE a number of dwarf flaxes and find them wonderful plants for tubs and gardens. I particularly like the red ones, 'Evening Glow' and the two newest varieties, 'Jester' (right) and 'Rainbow Red'. However, one of my variegated yellow flaxes, Phormium 'Duet' has several green leaves instead of the yellow-edged ones. Should I remove them?

YES. Sometimes variegated plants can revert back to the plain form and this can then take over, until you have no cream-edged leaves left.

Reproduced with permission from the former Weekend Gardener magazine. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the RNZIH.