New Zealand Flax
Phormium Tenax
. GATHERING:
New Zealand flax is common in Victorian gardens, if you don't already have one, it's not hard to find a friend or neighbour growing a flax, who would be happy with a few leaves being cut. Even a single leaf can produce a useful amount of fibre. Guided by a New Zealand book Fun with Flax by Mick Prendergast flax leaves are best cut after a few hours in the sun, (they'll have less moisture) and the three central leaves of a plant 'fan' should be left so as not to weaken the plant. The book also covers descriptions of Maori protocols around handling flax as well as details of splitting and scraping the leaves. STORAGE: I find fresh leaves will store in a dark cool space for about two weeks before starting to curl up and dry to very hard. I generally store my flax as finely stripped bundles of fibre prepared for making twine. TO USE: I mainly use flax for making twine, there are many uses, which are worth researching if you are keen to learn more about this plant as a fibre. I use freshly cut leaves, up to about a week after cutting for making twine. With a needle or thumbnails, a fresh leaf can be split into fine hairlike strands. A faster job of splitting can be achieved by using a dog comb. |
DESCRIPTION:
Mature New Zealand flax plants can grow into very large clumps, with leaves up to 2m, given cooler conditions with plenty of water. The use of this plant for its fibre originates with the Maoris, with their knowledge extending from flat weaving with broadly split leaves to rope and fine textiles. The name flax describes two different plants, the European flax linum usitatissimum for making linen and linseeds which is not the same as New Zealand flax phormium tenax, although both are used for their fibre, linum fibre comes from the stems, phormium fibre comes from the leaves. 
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NEW ZEALAND FLAX IS FOUND IN MANY OF MY PROJECTS
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