Flax
Also known as: Linseed · Linum usitatissimum
3 types of flax
Blue Passionflower
Ornamental / rare fruitalso: Passiflora caerulea, Bluecrown Passionflower, Common Passion Flower
Hardy ornamental passion vine with blue-and-white fringed flowers; edible but bland fruit.
Common Flax
also: Linum usitatissimum, Linseed
Ancient fiber and seed crop — blue flowers, linen fiber from stems, omega-3-rich seed.
Maypop
Year 2–3also: Passiflora incarnata, Purple Passionflower, True Passionflower, Wild Apricot, Wild Passion Flower, Wild Passion Vine
Native North American passionflower; hardy to zone 6, produces aromatic edible fruit.
When & where
Germination
Spacing & depth
How to plant
Broadcast onto raked soil and press in with the back of a rake. Sky-blue flowers open at dawn and drop by afternoon. For seed: let seed capsules turn tan and rattle before pulling plants and threshing. For fiber: pull whole plants (roots and all) when lower stems yellow, then ret in dew or water for 2–3 weeks.
Grower's tip
One crop, two products — omega-3-rich seed and long linen fiber from the stems. Do not till fiber flax; pull to keep the fibers full-length. Reseeds gently.
Soil preferences
Firm, well-drained loam.
6.0–7.0
A modest nitrogen source in spring for wheat/rye; teff and rice prefer more.
Watering
1 in per week during establishment. Most small grains are drought-tolerant once headed out.
Overhead is fine. Rice paddies are the exception — constant flood.
Overwatered: lodging (flopped stems), rust. Underwatered: short heads, shriveled grain.
Prefers top-watering — Top-water (overhead or rain) — grains are wind-pollinated and tolerate wet foliage. Water deeply and infrequently.
Temperature tolerance
60–80°F (15–27°C)
40–65°F (4–18°C)
Winter grains (winter wheat, rye, spelt) overwinter through hard freezes. Spring grains and teff are frost-tender.
Container growing
Not recommended in containers
Grains need broadcast area — even a 10x10 ft patch yields a meaningful loaf's worth of flour.
Detailed harvesting
Cut whole stalks with a sickle or hedge shears when heads are straw-dry and grain dents but doesn't smash. Shock or hang to cure 1–2 weeks.
Post-harvest storage & preservation
Thresh in a pillowcase or against a screen; winnow chaff in front of a fan. Store cool and dry in sealed jars. Freeze 3 days to kill any weevils.
Culinary, medicinal & other uses
Bake, brew, mill for flour, sprout, or add to grain bowls. Straw is mulch or bedding.
Medicinal or traditional uses are shared for interest only — this is not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before using any plant medicinally.
Seed saving
Most grains self-pollinate before the head fully emerges.
20 ft between varieties is enough for most.
The grain IS the seed — save cleaned kernels from your best-headed plants for next year.
Your zone's planting calendar
Pick your USDA hardiness zone and we'll estimate the key dates for flax in your area. These are regional averages — always check your own last-frost forecast before sowing.
From your kitchen — grow flax from what you already have
Save whole ripe heads — grains are just grasses gone to seed.
- 1Harvest heads when they're straw-tan and the grain is hard (bite test: dents, doesn't smash).
- 2Cut whole stalks with 6 in of straw and shock or hang to cure 1–2 weeks.
- 3Thresh by rubbing heads inside a pillowcase or against a screen.
- 4Winnow by pouring in front of a fan; store cool and dry.
Storage: 2–4 years — grain seed loses vigor faster than most.
My Flax notes
Flax seeds on hand
Track packets and loose seeds you already have. Private to your account.
Par level — leave at 0 for no alert. Anything below par shows on Seed Starting and your shopping list.
Order more seeds
Running low? Reorder from one of these seed stores.
Loading…