Swamp Flax (Harakeke)

Harakeke is another very famous NZ plant.  The upright flowers are a favourite of our nectar loving birds and a classic in late spring and early summer. 

As it's name would suggest it is definitely best planted in a wet area and it thrives there.  If you want flax flowers in dryer areas then check out the mountain flax. 

Swamp flax grows big (up to 3m high/wide) so can cover a lot of area in a damp situation.  Once it is up above the grass it is very hardy and will provide food and interest in your restoration project for a very long time.

One mistake people make is planting these too close to stream banks, although hardy they can dislodge when directly on the stream bank and cause issues downstream.  Damp areas and a few metres back from streams is the ideal habitat for them.