LIFE CYCLE
Annual
PLANT CHARACTERISTICS
White pink eyed blooms
GROWTH HABIT
Upright airy
BLOOM SEASON
Winter spring
FLAVOUR PROFILE
Not edible
SUITABLE FOR
Outdoor
SEED TYPE
Open Pollinated
PLANT TYPE
Flowering Plant
PLANTING SEASON
Winter
FRUIT SIZE
Not applicable
PLANT HEIGHT
30–45 cm
LIGHT REQUIREMENT
Full Sun
WATER NEEDS
Low moderate
HARDINESS ZONES
Annual plant
CONTAINER GARDEN
Yes
PLANT SPACING
20–25 cm
PLANTING DEPTH
0.5–1 cm
GROWING CONDITIONS
Well-drained rich soil
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same flax used to make linen fabric or flaxseed oil?
Is this the same flax used to make linen fabric or flaxseed oil?
Not necessarily. Ornamental flax varieties like this are typically grown for their flowers rather than fiber or oil, unlike Linum usitatissimum, the species used commercially for linen and flaxseed.
Is it true that each individual flower only lasts one day?
Is it true that each individual flower only lasts one day?
Yes, this is a classic trait of many flax species — individual blooms often open in the morning and drop their petals by the same afternoon, though the plant produces a continuous succession of new flowers.
Why shouldn't this plant be transplanted once it's sown?
Why shouldn't this plant be transplanted once it's sown?
It develops a taproot that's sensitive to disturbance, so moving an established seedling can set back or kill the plant, unlike more transplant-tolerant fibrous-rooted flowers.
Will it naturalize in a bed without much maintenance?
Will it naturalize in a bed without much maintenance?
Yes, allowing some seed pods to mature and drop lets the plant self-sow, creating a low-maintenance, naturalized patch over time.
The listing mentions winter planting but also summer-to-autumn blooms; when should I actually expect flowers?
The listing mentions winter planting but also summer-to-autumn blooms; when should I actually expect flowers?
Bloom timing can vary by climate zone; in milder regions a winter sowing may lead to spring flowering, while in colder zones a spring sowing is more typical, extending into summer.
Is this better suited to a formal border or a wildflower meadow?
Is this better suited to a formal border or a wildflower meadow?
Its airy, self-seeding habit makes it especially well-suited to informal wildflower meadows, though it can also work in looser cottage-style borders.