Linum bienne Mill.
Pale Flax
Pale flax is a slender, wiry native of the flax family, growing as an annual, biennial or short-lived perennial with delicate upright stems usually up to about 60cm. Its narrow, few-veined leaves are sparse, and from late spring through summer it opens dainty five-petalled flowers in soft, pale sky-blue, each lasting only a day.
About
Pale flax is a slender, wiry native of the flax family, growing as an annual, biennial or short-lived perennial with delicate upright stems usually up to about 60cm. Its narrow, few-veined leaves are sparse, and from late spring through summer it opens dainty five-petalled flowers in soft, pale sky-blue, each lasting only a day. It is the wild forebear of cultivated flax (linseed), which it closely resembles in miniature.
It grows in dry, open, sunny grassland, often on lighter or calcareous soils, and is most frequent near the coast in southern and south-western Britain, on cliff tops, banks, road verges and rough pasture. The flowers attract bees and other small pollinators. With its airy habit and gentle blue colouring it suits dry meadow and grassland seed mixes, coastal plantings and naturalistic borders on free-draining ground.
Also known as
Pale flax
Synonyms
Adenolinum angustifolium · Cathartolinum agreste · Linum acuminatum · Linum affine · Linum agreste · Linum agrestre · Linum ambiguum · Linum angustifolium · Linum angustifolium agreste · Linum angustifolium arenicola · Linum angustifolium clandestinum
Beta — under active development. This catalogue is still being built and accuracy-checked. The information here (including plant identifications, British native status, soil and sun/shade preferences) is provided in good faith for general guidance only and may contain errors or omissions. It must not be relied upon on its own — please confirm details with us before making planting, specification, foraging or purchasing decisions, and never eat or medicinally use any plant based on this catalogue alone, as some species are toxic. To the extent permitted by law, Phoenix Amenity Supplies accepts no liability for any loss arising from use of this information.