Perennial flax facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Perennial flax
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Malpighiales
Family:	Linaceae
Genus:	Linum
Species:	L. narbonense
Binomial name
Linum narbonense L.
Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist.

Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".

Linum narbonense, also known as the perennial flax or blue flax, is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the Linaceae family, which includes many types of flax. This plant naturally grows in Europe. It looks quite a lot like another flax plant called Linum perenne.

Blue Flax Plant

The blue flax plant can grow to be about 1 to 2.5 feet (30 to 75 cm) tall. It spreads out about 1 foot (30 cm) wide. Its stem ends in a group of about ten bright blue flowers. Each flower has five petals and is about 2 to 2.5 cm across. The leaves are small, narrow, and grayish-green. They grow in circles around the stem.

What It Looks Like

In early summer, the blue flax plant forms small, tear-shaped flower buds. After the flowers bloom, they turn into tiny, round, beige seed heads. These seed heads hold the seeds for new plants.

How to Grow Blue Flax

Many people like to grow Linum narbonense in their gardens. It's a lovely plant that adds a splash of blue.

To start growing blue flax from seeds, you can plant them indoors. Do this about 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost of spring. Frost is when the temperature drops below freezing. You can also plant the seeds directly outdoors in early spring. Just make sure the soil is soft enough to work with. The seeds usually sprout, or "germinate," in about 14 to 30 days. This means you'll see little plants start to grow from the seeds.

See also

You can find more information about Linum narbonense for kids in Spanish here: Linum narbonense para niños