I have some seeds from a wonderful exotic plant but don't know the name so need your help! The plant is growing outdoors on our seafront, very tall maybe ten feet, spiky variegated leaves about half the plant's height, with bunches of seed pods which contain large black seeds. I believe the flowers were some 4-5 inches long on eight feet stalks, and I think purple. Any help identifying the plant would be most welcome - thanks.
Hello Juley Ross could be Phormium or New Zealand Flax see if these remind you of the plant http://www.fernwood-nursery.co.uk/phormium/cookif2.htm http://www.fernwood-nursery.co.uk/phormium.htm
It does look like a flax seed pod, they grow here in New Zealand in swamps and coastal areas. Phomuim tenax or Harakeke is a large plant the flower spikes are up to 5 meters tall, while the plant is around 4 meters tall. Your pod looks like it come from a large plant. Native birds such as our Tui and Bellbird love to drink the nectar from the flowers. There are now a lot of lovely smaller varieties with rich red viriegration. http://www.foxtailfarms.com http://www.alibrown.co.nz/gathering-flax.html you might like to try your hand at weaving
Here are a couple more sites for you to have a look at http://www.herbsociety.org/promplant/ptenax.php http://library.christchurch.org.nz/Maori/Putiputi/Putiputi.pdf