Flowering Flax is an annual herb in the flax family. The plant has small, waxy leaves that line the erect stems and clusters of deep red flowers tipped with bright blue pollen. The plant is native to Turkey, where it can grow as a perennial; however, in most sites, it rarely persists past one season and you can expect it to grow as an annual. Kew Garden describes L. grandiflorum as a synonym for L. usitatissimum . Flowering Flax grows best in average, well-drained soils in full sun or partial shade. It prefers full sun and light soil. It will tolerate heat, humidity, and drought. In heavy soil, such as clay, it will tend to have shallow roots that can cause it problems surviving through the winter. It will freely self-seed where conditions are favorable. Cut some stems back by half, mid-way through the bloom period to extend flowering. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Generally disease and pest free. May be susceptible to slugs, snails, or aphids.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf shape
Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Waxy
Leaf size
< 1 inch long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Waxy, lance-shaped leaves 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch long.
Flower color
Pink; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Good Cut; Long Bloom Season
Flower form
Spike
Flower shape
Saucer
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Loose clusters of deep scarlet blooms edged in black borne on pedicels 3/4 of an inch long. The flowers are an 1 1/2 inch in diameter with 5 red petals each up to 1 inch long and stamens tipped with anthers bearing light blue pollen.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Stem detail
Erect, branching stem lined with waxy leave.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Turkey, Syria, and Iran
Distribution
Introduced into the United States, Southern South America, Northern Africa, Central Europe and Asia
Attracts
Bees
Food & Medicine
Uses (ethnobotany)
Fibrous stems are difficult to break and were once used in Europe to make linen and rope.