Black Rage Plant

Black Rage (Phormium tenax 'Black Rage') is the near black strappy plant that gives a bed its backbone. It forms an upright fan of arching leaves to about 1m tall and 1m wide, deep bronze to almost black, holding that colour all year rather than fading through summer. It is a New Zealand flax, so wind, salt, drought and frost are all part of its normal working conditions.

Why you'll love it

• Dark foliage that holds. The near black leaves stay dark year round, which is what makes it such a useful contrast against silver, lime and grey foliage.
• Architectural shape. The upright, fanned habit reads as a deliberate design element at about 1m each way, without the bulk of a shrub.
• Genuinely tough. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, salt tolerant, wind tolerant and comfortable in a spot that stays damp. Few plants take that whole list.
• Low maintenance, and good in a pot. No shaping or clipping, just the occasional spent leaf pulled out. The clump stays contained, so a large container holds it for years.

Where it works best

Feature planting. A single clump at a corner, a doorway or the turn of a path anchors the planting around it, and it reads best against a pale wall or light paving.

Mass planting and borders. Plant 80cm apart for a repeated block. At that spacing the fans overlap enough to look continuous while each plant keeps its shape.

Coastal gardens and pots. Salt and wind tolerance make it a front line coastal plant, and a 500mm container suits a balcony or poolside grouping.

Growing Black Rage in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the darkest colour; in shade the leaves lighten and the clump grows looser. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate, subtropical and Mediterranean gardens, and is frost hardy once established. In the hottest inland gardens some afternoon shade prevents leaf tip burn.

Soil. Not fussy. It grows in ordinary soil, in heavy soil, and in a spot that stays damp after rain, which is unusual for a plant that is also drought tolerant. Mulch 75mm deep, kept off the crown.

Water and feed. Water twice a week through the first summer to establish the clump, then only in extended dry spells. A controlled release fertiliser in early spring keeps the leaves broad and well coloured.

Pruning. No shearing. Pull or cut individual old leaves out at the base as they brown off, and lift and divide the clump every four or five years if it becomes congested or the centre thins.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in three sizes: tube stock, 140mm in packs of ten and 200mm in packs of six. Tubes are the value option for mass planting, where twenty plants at 80cm spacing cover a lot of bed. The 200mm plants give a recognisable fan in the first season.

All sizes arrive as small fans rather than full clumps, and young leaves are often lighter than the mature foliage. Strappy plants travel very well, with a bent leaf tip the worst you should see. Expect real presence by the second summer. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse grasses and strappy leaf plants
• Using ornamental grasses in garden design
• Compare architectural plants for designed gardens
• Salt tolerant plants for coastal gardens

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Eighty centimetres apart for a mass planting or a repeated border. For single feature clumps, allow a full metre so the fan can spread without touching what is beside it.

Does it flower?

Rarely in cultivation. This is a foliage plant first. If it does throw a flower spike the nectar draws honeyeaters, so treat that as a bonus rather than the reason to plant it.

Why are the new leaves greener than the old ones?

Young growth colours up over time, and shade lightens the whole plant. Move it into full sun for the darkest foliage, and give it a season to settle before judging the colour.