Blue Flax is a short-lived perennial wildflower native to California and Oregon that grows 1-2 feet tall and wide. It has delicate arching branches with feathery leaves and produces bright blue, showy flowers from May to September. Blue Flax is often used in wildflower gardens, mixed beds, rock gardens, and containers where it requires full sun, well-drained soil, and low to moderate water. It reseeds readily and provides habitat and food for birds and nectar for butterflies.

1. * Blue Flax – Linum lewisii var. lewisii
(LIN-um lew-ISS-ee-eye)
Family: Linaceae (Flax Family)
Native to: Much of California to Oregon. Locally in San Bernardino Mtns, Mt. Pinos; dry, open
slopes in forests or woodlands.
Herbaceous perennial
mature height: 1-2 ft.
mature width: 1-2 ft.
Short-lived perennial wildflower that is often grown as an annual. Delicate arching branches with
feathery leaves. Base sometimes woody.
Semi-evergreen with water; normally will die back to
stem. Forms an expanding clump, reproducing either from seed or resprouting.
Growth characteristics:
Blooms May-Sept. (sometimes earlier). Flowers bright blue, delicate-looking, very
showy. Looks like it belongs in a cottage garden. Flowers open on sunny days and close in late
afternoon. Blooms heavily for many weeks (at least 6 weeks).
Blooms/fruits:
Uses in the garden: Most often used in wildflower gardens and mixed beds.
Also nice in rock
gardens, containers and along edges of walkways. Fine mixed with other natives for erosion control.
Because it’s semi-evergreen, can be used for fire-retardant greenstrips. Looks best massed. Plant
was used extensively as a medicinal & as a source of fibers by native Californians.
Sensible substitute for: Non-native flaxes like Linum perenne.
Excellent bird habitat: provides seeds for food and cover for small birds.
butterflies collect the nectar. Deer and other animals may eat foliage.
Attracts:
Bees and
Requirements:
Element
Sun
Soil
Water
Fertilizer
Other
Requirement
Full sun to part shade
Any well-drained soil; can even tolerate somewhat alkali soils
Low to moderate garden water; tolerates a wide range of watering regimens, from
summer dry to regular water.
None needed
Management:
reseeds well.
Easy to grow.
Trim back in fall.
Propagation: from seed:
Deadhead if you don’t want it to re-seed, otherwise it normally
easy; sow seed in prepared ground or pots in fall/winter.
Blooms in
second year.
Plant/seed sources (see list for source numbers): 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 19, 27, 28
2/12/11
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