Phormium colensoi 'Cream Delight'

Phormium colensoi 'Cream Delight' is an exceptionally attractive cultivar introduced by Margaret Jones in 1978 as a selected sport from 'Tricolor', itself a variegated sport of the type species, Phormium colensoi. 'Tricolor' had been discovered in 1888 on the steep cliffs of the Wainuiora River, East of Masterton in the Wairarapa area of New Zealand's North Island by William Summers who was a gardener on the Brancepeth Estate, one of the largest sheep stations in the history of New Zealand. The story has it that William Summers was rather reluctant to be lowered down to fetch a division of his discovery and a sailor who was working at Brancepeth - which had a staff of over 300 people - agreed to collect the specimen. So without the courage of that nameless sailor, horticulture would never have known either 'Tricolor' or 'Cream Delight' nor the many other subsequent hybrids which these two cultivars have parented.

Phormium colensoi replaces the now deprecated synonym Phormium cookianum by which 'Cream Delight' is usually known. 'Cream Delight' has the attractive weeping habit typical of Phormium colensoi with leaves that have a broad central band of creamy-yellow - often more pale yellow when young and changing to a more creamy colour with age - and green stripes to either side with several further creamy striations and a very thin margin of dark pinkish-red on the edges.

Gorgeous. 'Cream Delight' is a versatile cultivar and makes a perfect planting combination with a wide variety of species and foliage types.