I am a Fan

I really am a fan of Harakeke.  This plant is in our front garden and yes it is time to separate the fans and tidy up around the base of the plant.

Common name, New Zealand flax.  Scientific name, Phormium tenax.
But it is not related to the plant known in the rest of the world as flax.
It is in fact a lily – Family Hemerocallidaceae (day-lily family)

The National New Zealand Flax Collection is held by   Landcare Research -Manaaki Whenua.  Their website is a wonderful resource with a wealth of information and comprehensive details of the many cultivars of harakeke.  It is a great site for identifying the varieties which are more suitable for weaving a kete or which produce great muka.