Gardeners grow New Zealand flax (Phorium tenex) as a large and often colorful, spiky plant that makes an arresting focal point in the garden or in containers. It has sword-like leaves that shoot up from the base of the plant. New cultivars and hybrids are now available with leaves in bright shades of yellow, pink, red and bronze.
These blade-leafed, evergreen perennials are often used as specimen plants. Some are small enough to use in containers, others can reach several feet in diameter and grow to over 7 feet tall.