Blue flax
Blue flax (Linum lewisii) opens sky-blue flowers each morning from May into July, one of the earliest and easiest native forbs to establish in the dry west. It is inexpensive, germinates readily, and delivers pollinator value in the first or second season.
Why landowners plant blue flax
- Covers the hard-to-fill spring bloom period in western pollinator mixes.
- Germinates readily with little stratification, so establishment is dependable.
- Low seed cost relative to most native forbs.
- Fine foliage and slender stems do not shade out establishing grasses.
Site fit
Dry to dry-mesic, well-drained soils in the western Plains, Rockies, and Great Basin fringe. It will not persist on heavy wet clay or in humid eastern conditions.
Establishment
Spring or dormant seeding both work. Plant shallow, 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Often blooms in the first full season and reseeds into open ground afterward.
Management
Short-lived perennial that maintains itself by reseeding — leave some bare openings. Fire-tolerant. Avoid broadleaf herbicide.
CRP practice fit
Spring bloom-period species in dry western pollinator mixes.
Early-establishing diversity forb in western mixes.
Spring nectar in prairie strip plantings.
Featured mixes with blue flax
Pairs well with
Blanketflower · Prairie coneflower · Blue grama · Little bluestem
Frequently asked questions
Each flower opens in the morning and drops its petals by afternoon, but a plant produces new blooms daily for weeks from May into July.
It is a short-lived perennial that reseeds itself. Leaving small bare openings in the stand keeps the population going.