| Linum lewisii | |
|---|---|
 | |
| In Elena Gallegos Picnic Area, Albuquerque, NM | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Linaceae |
| Genus: | Linum |
| Species: | L. lewisii |
| Binomial name | |
| Linum lewisii | |
| Varieties | |
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| Synonyms [2] | |
List
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Linum lewisii (Linum perenne var. lewisii) (Lewis flax, blue flax or prairie flax) is a perennial plant in the family Linaceae, native to western North America.
It is a slender herbaceous plant growing to 80 centimetres (31+1⁄2 inches) tall, with spirally arranged narrow lanceolate leaves 1–3 cm (1⁄2–1+1⁄4 in) long. The flowers are pale blue or lavender to white, often veined in darker blue, with five petals 1–1.5 cm long and in varying length styles. [3] [4] [5] [6] The flowers open in the morning and fade, dropping their petals by noon on hot, sunny days. [7]
The species was named for North American explorer Meriwether Lewis. [8]
The plant is native to western North America from Alaska south to Baja California, and from the Pacific Coast east to the Mississippi River. [9] It grows on ridges and dry slopes, from sea level in the north up to 11,000 feet (3,400 metres) in the Sierra Nevada. [10] [11] [3]
Blue flax is a durable wildflower in garden conditions, never becoming overly aggressive towards other plants. Plants are easily grown from seed. [7] Blue flax grows well in lean soils without much organic matter and are healthier in well-drained soils. [12]
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