Table of Contents
Why is the harakeke important?
Harakeke (flax) was the most useful plant in New Zealand to Māori. Each pā or marae typically had a pā harakeke or flax plantation. It was used to make clothing, shelter, baskets, mats, ropes, sails for canoes, nets, traps for catching birds, and fishing lines.
How do I identify harakeke?
The seed capsules on harakeke form in the summer months, and are upright on the branches. This is the main feature that distinguishes harakeke from wharariki (Phormium cookianum). The pods can be short and stout, or long and narrow, and are triangular in cross section.
What can Phormium be used for?
Uses. Phormium produces long leaf fibres that have played an important role in the culture, history, and economy of New Zealand. Both species have been widely distributed to temperate regions of the world as economic fibre and ornamental plants.
When can you cut harakeke?
Never cut leaves when kōrari (flower stalks) are growing. Both sides of the plant are left balanced after cutting. Traditionally pregnant or menstruating women do not harvest harakeke as at this time they are in a state of ‘tapu’.
Is harakeke native to NZ?
One of New Zealand’s most distinctive native plants, harakeke is not, botanically, a flax, but a member of the day-lily family. Harakeke is one of New Zealand’s most distinctive native plants.
Why can’t you cut flax in the rain?
Weavers say a karakia (prayer) before cutting the first blade of harakeke. They always cut on the diagonal, away from the plant’s heart and from top to bottom. This helps rainwater drain away and prevents the heart from being flooded and dying. Harvesting is not permitted at night or in rain.
How long does it take for harakeke to grow?
about 6–8 years
Seedlings also take longer to mature, about 6–8 years. Plants grown from root stock take about half that time. If seedlings are desired, the seed should be chilled (put in the fridge) for 12 weeks to ensure good germination.
Is Phormium poisonous?
The plant grows as a clump of long, straplike leaves, up to two metres long, from which arises a much taller flowering shoot, with dramatic yellow or red flowers. The blades of the plant contain cucurbitacins, which are poisonous to some animals, and some of them are among the bitterest tastes to humans.
Is harakeke poisonous?
It is an invasive species in some of the Pacific Islands and in Australia. The blades of the plant contain cucurbitacins, which are poisonous to some animals, and some of them are among the bitterest tastes to humans….
| Phormium tenax | |
|---|---|
| Species: | P. tenax |
| Binomial name | |
| Phormium tenax J.R.Forst.. & G.Forst. |