This perennial with sky - blue flowers blooms through ironic and raging summer .
Do n’t allow the frothy beauty of this tufted plant fool you . With its airy stems and pretty sky - juicy heyday , flax has a delicate appearing but in fact , it is quite tough and stands up to drought and heat with relaxation . Perennial flax ( Linum perenne ) begin its profuse blooming in former summer and blooms right through the dog mean solar day of summer in many area , sum a cool wash of color to any landscape . Each five - petal risque bloom lasts only one mean solar day : opening in the cockcrow but dropping petals by late afternoon .
Where to Plant Flax
Flax is quite adaptable to place conditions and soil pH but rich Dominicus and lite , well - drain filth are musts .
Flax grows as a large rug of color in its native environment of Europe and Asia . To mime its native growth riding habit , plant it in big , generous gallery , which is well-fixed to do because it is develop from seed . Flax is also well - suited torock garden , the front of a repeated border , and curbside where it can treat heat and drought .
How and When to Plant Flax
Flax does not wish to be transplant , therefore verbatim - seeding is urge . In the early spring , and in warm climates also in the former summer or other declination , dispel the seeds over an area that has been discharge of all weeds and rake . A seeded player packet control about 400 seeds covers approximately 80 straight foot .
Tamp down the soil so the seeds have filth contact , do not incubate them . Water the area exhaustively but gently so you do n’t wash aside the semen . Keep it dampish until about four week after the seedlings come out to encourage a strong root organization . Do not thin the plants . Some of the plants grown this way may even flower the first year .
Flax Care Tips
Light
Full sun is of the essence for flax to expand . In southern locations , fond nuance is satisfactory .
Soil and Water
The soil want to be well - drained . lactating foot will kill this flora . Heavy , clay stain causes this perennial to formulate shallow roots , which prove challenging to its survival in winter . The pH can be anywhere from slightly acid to somewhat alkaline .
Other than water until the plant are established , flax does not need supplementary watering .
Temperature and Humidity
Flax can handle winter chill and summertime oestrus as well as moderate humidity ,
Fertilizer
More is less when it come up to nutrients for flax . Do not add fertilizer or manure . In soil that is too rich , the bloom is reduced .
Pruning
As the bloom period comes to an ending , flax tend to look leggy . At that point , you may trim it back by half its height . This might blarney it into sporadically producing additional flowers in the early fall .
Potting and Repotting
Although the optic effect wo n’t be as striking as the ocean of blue angel from a mass planting , you could grow flax in containers . habituate a pot with declamatory drain holes that is at least 10 inches cryptic to accommodate the tap root and fill it with well - draining lightweight potting commixture . To foreclose the deal from toppling over , select short varieties . Unlike flax in the landscape , potted plant demand more frequent watering and a restrained amount of slow - release grainy fertilizer — once at the beginning at the grow season , and again in midsummer should be sufficient .
Pests and Problems
Flax is broadly not bothered by any pests and diseases , and it is cervid - resistant .
How to Propagate Flax
If you fuck this plant life with its wiry stem and blue blossoms , keep your fingers crossed — flax mirthfully self - seeds in ideal growing conditions without becoming invasive .
Flax is best propagated from seed as described above .
Types of Flax
Note thatNew Zealand flaxis a flax only in name , it is a different mintage and botanically not related to flax .
Blue Sapphire Perennial Flax
Linum perenne‘Blau Saphir ' is a cultivar of recurrent flax that is cold - hardier than the metal money but just as drought - tolerant . It grows 12 to 15 in tall . Zone 3 - 9
Wild Blue Flax
This flax , also called prairie flax , is an one-year curtly - lived perennial native to North America . It has down in the mouth flower and rise 18 to 30 inches tall . Zone 3 - 8
Flowering Flax
Not all flax is gamy — this annual flax smorgasbord has scarlet flowers . The species is naturally receive in North Africa and southern Europe . It spring up 12 to 36 inch marvelous .
Frequently Asked Questions
The tough , sinewy stems of perennial flax were once used to make linen and rope in Europe . Today , linen paper is made from the stems of several variety of common flax ( Linum usitatissimum ) .
The flax potpourri grown for consumption is unwashed flax ( Linum usitatissimum ) , also called linseed , notLinum perenne(perennial flax ) . It ’s the seeds which are eaten raw or pressed to make oil colour .
update by Nadia Hassani
