Flax is an endemic plant of New Zealand that is common throughout the country. Here are 7 facts about this plant that is important for people and animals.
Flax is one of those features of the New Zealand landscape that is ubiquitous. You can see it’s long, green leaves sticking up in gardens, parks, and the bush all over the country. My kids enjoy weaving it into cool shapes when we stop for a snack break. My kids aren’t the only ones that weave it. They learned that at school because the early settlers had a lot of uses for this unique plant. In addition to people, there are many native animals that like it.
7 Flax Facts
The Maori name for this plant is harakeke. Harakeke is quite a unique looking plant that actually comes in quite a few varieties. There are two species – common flax and mountain flax. However, as with identifying many plants or animals it’s not that simple. There are many varieties of each of these two species.
Common flax grows all across the country, including on several of the small, offshore islands. It grows well in wet areas. Mountain flax grows more commonly at (yes as it’s name implies) higher altitudes, but also along coasts.
This is a grass like, shrub plant that is very fibrous. The leaves are long (between 1 and 2 1/2 meters) and thin (5 – 12 cm). This plant grows in a variety of ways. Sometimes the leaves are very erect and stiff, yet other times they can be quite flimsy and drooping.
Flax is endemic to New Zealand, meaning that it grows nowhere else in the world. It may be similar to plants found elsewhere such as Agave, but it’s unique to New Zealand. Remember, the islands of New Zealand have been isolated for over 60 million years!
People have been using this plant for as long as they’ve been in New Zealand. That’s not too long as people have only been in New Zealand about 750 years. The Maori used flax to make rope, fishing nets, baskets, sandals, mats, and many other things. In fact, this was the most important fibre plant to the Maori.
When it flowers it produces tall stalks with flowers and later seeds. Common flax stalks can grow up to 4 meters tall and has seed pods that stand up. In contrast, mountain flax has shorter stalks and the seed pods hang down. Generally, the flowers are reddish, but they can also be yellow or brown.
Many animals use flax for a variety of purposes. When flowering there are many animals that come and sip the nectar out of the flowers. In particular, Tuis and Bellbirds like the nectar. Other animals that like the nectar are geckos, and insects.