Description | Common Flax (Linum usitatissimum) is an escaped wild flower with blue flowers. Seeds used for Linseed Oil and Linen. Has gained popularity as a heath food. |
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Plant Type | All Plants, Annuals |
Sunlight | full |
Moisture | average |
Soil & Site | average |
Flowers | blue, .75-1.25 inches, borne on a loose branched panicle |
Leaves | narrow, simple, stalkless leaves |
Dimensions | up to 40 inches, many stems, upright |
Propagation | seeds |
Native Site | Europe |
Misc Facts | "This plant is the common cultivated "Flax" which is used to make linen and linseed oil (a classic wood finish for carpenters). The plant is very high in fatty acid content, especially the unsaturated - linolenic acid" (#168). |
Author's Notes | The thing that is special to me about this plant is the very nice blue flowers |
Notes & Reference | #100-Wildflowers of Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest (Merel Black and Emmet Judziewicz), #144-Missouri Botanical Gardens web site (www.missouribotanicalgarden.org), #169-Peterson Guide to Medical Plants (Steven Foster, James A Duke) |