PHORMIUM BRONZE BABY

INFORMATION:

Bronze Baby is a clump-forming, evergreen perennial with leathery, sword-shaped, upright to arching, bronze to maroon leaves. Tall panicles of tubular, bronze to red flowers are seldom produced.

Phormium ‘Bronze Baby’ (New Zealand Flax) – New Zealand Flax cultivar that grows to 4-6 feet tall with upright 1 1/2″ wide dark reddish-brown foliage that curves gracefully at the tips. A good medium-sized bronze flax. Plant in full sun to light shade. Can tolerate fairly dry conditions (coastal) but looks best with occasional to regular irrigation. Hardy to 15-20 F. Possibly root hardy below these temperatures but with severe foliage damage unless protected. This plant was originally marketed as growing to only 3 feet tall but has been noted at 6 feet in garden situations here in California. We have not seen this plant bloom in our gardens or nursery.

An older cultivar that was a selection of Phormium ‘Rubrum’ and cultivated by F. Sydenham of Tauranga, New Zealand was later renamed ‘Bronze Baby’. This plant has also been renamed and marketed by a Southern California Nursery as Phormium ‘Redi Babe’.  The information on this page is based on research conducted about this plant in our nursery library, from online sources, and from observations made of it growing in the nursery, in the nursery’s garden and in other gardens where we have observed it. We will also incorporate comments received from others and welcome getting feedback from those who may have additional information, particularly if this information includes cultural information that would aid others in growing  Phormium ‘Bronze Baby’.

A compact Phormium growing to around 60cm. The wide dark reddish-brown foliage curves gracefully at the tips.

Prefers full sun, or partial shade with free-draining, but moist soil or compost.

Ideal to provide year round interest in a border or as a colourful low maintenance pot or container plant on the deck or patio.