Blue Flax is a short-lived perennial wildflower native to California and Oregon that forms an expanding clump through seed or resprouting. It has delicate arching branches with feathery leaves and bright blue, showy flowers that bloom from May to September. Blue Flax is often used in wildflower gardens, mixed beds, rock gardens, and containers where it requires full sun to part shade and well-drained soil with low to moderate water. It provides habitat and food for birds and nectar for bees and 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.
Growth characteristics: 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.
Blooms/fruits: 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).
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.
Attracts: Excellent bird habitat: provides seeds for food and cover for small birds. Bees and
butterflies collect the nectar. Deer and other animals may eat foliage.
Requirements:
Element Requirement
Sun Full sun to part shade
Soil Any well-drained soil; can even tolerate somewhat alkali soils
Water Low to moderate garden water; tolerates a wide range of watering regimens, from
summer dry to regular water.
Fertilizer None needed
Other
Management: Easy to grow. Deadhead if you don’t want it to re-seed, otherwise it normally
reseeds well. Trim back in fall.
Propagation: from seed: 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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