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Summary
Linum is a genus of approximately 200 species commonly known as flax. They are native to temperate and subtropical regions of the world. Linum usitatissimum (Common flax) is used to produce linen and the seeds to produce linseed oil. Perennial hybrids of flax can be used as carbon farming solution plants producing an edible oil grown as a staple crop and as an industrial fibre crop. Sometimes misspelt as Linium.
Physical Characteristics
Linum hybrids is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.8 m (2ft 7in) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
Many. See individual species.
Habitats
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Oil Seed
Edible Uses: Oil
Carbon Farming Solutions - Staple Crop: oil (The term staple crop typically refers to a food that is eaten routinely and accounts for a dominant part of people's diets in a particular region of the world) [1-1].
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Analgesic Antiinflammatory Antitussive Cancer Cardiotonic Demulcent Emollient Expectorant
Laxative Nervine Pectoral Resolvent Urinary
Linseed has a long history of medicinal use, its main effects being as a laxative and expectorant that soothes irritated tissues, controls coughing and relieves pain[238]. The seed, or the oil from the seed are normally used[238]. The seed is analgesic, demulcent, emollient, laxative, pectoral and resolvent[4, 9, 21, 46, 165, 218, 240]. The crushed seed makes a very useful poultice in the treatment of ulceration, abscesses and deep-seated inflammations[4, 244]. An infusion of the seed contains a good deal of mucilage and is a valuable domestic remedy for coughs, colds and inflammation of the urinary organs[4]. If the seed is bruised and then eaten straight away, it will swell considerably in the digestive tract and stimulate peristalsis[9] and so is used in the treatment of chronic constipation[238]. The oil in the seed contains 4% L-glutamic acid, which is used to treat mental deficiencies in adults[218]. It also has soothing and lubricating properties, and is used in medicines to soothe tonsillitis, sore throats, coughs, colds, constipation, gravel and stones[4, 244]. When mixed with an equal quantity of lime water it is used to treat burns and scalds[244]. The bark and the leaves are used in the treatment of gonorrhoea[240]. The flowers are cardiotonic and nervine[240]. The plant has a long history of folk use in the treatment of cancer[218]. It has been found to contain various anticancer agents[218]. The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, approve Linum usitatissimum for constipation, inflammation of the skin (see [302] for critics of commission E).
References More on Medicinal Uses
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Other Uses
Fibre Oil
Carbon Farming Solutions - Industrial Crop: fiber (Crops grown for non-food uses. Industrial crops provide resources in three main categories: materials, chemicals, and energy. Traditional materials include lumber and thatch, paper and cardboard, and textiles) [1-1].
Special Uses
Carbon Farming Food Forest
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
Industrial Crop: Fiber Management: Hay Management: Standard Staple Crop: Oil Under Development
Climate: boreal to warm temperate. Humidity: semi-arid to humid. Carbon Farming Solutions - Cultivation: under development? Management: standard, hay (Describes the non-destructive management systems that are used in cultivation) [1-1].
Carbon Farming
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Industrial Crop: Fiber
Clothing, rugs, sheets, blankets etc. Currently, almost none of our fiber are produced from perennial crops but could be!
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Management: Hay
Cut to the ground and harvested annually. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
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Management: Standard
Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
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Staple Crop: Oil
(0-15 percent protein, 16+ percent oil). Some of these are consumed whole while others are exclusively pressed for oil. Annuals include canola, poppyseed, maize, cottonseed, sunflower, peanut. Perennials include high-oil fruits, seeds, and nuts, such as olive, coconut, avocado, oil palm, shea, pecan, and macadamia. Some perennial oil crops are consumed whole as fruits and nuts, while others are exclusively pressed for oil (and some are used fresh and for oil).
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Under Development
Plant breeders are actively working to domesticate these plants for cultivation, but they are not yet commercially available as crops. Examples include most of the perennial cereal grains.
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:
Fahrenheit:
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Propagation
See individual species.
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Flax. Flax hybrids. Sometimes misspelt as Linium
Native Plant Search
Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search
Found In
Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
None Known
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed
| Related Plants
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| Latin Name | Common Name | Habit | Height | Hardiness | Growth | Soil | Shade | Moisture | Edible | Medicinal | Other |
| Allium pendulinum | | Bulb | 0.3 |
-
| | LM | S | M | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Apium graveolens secalinum | Leaf Celery | Biennial | 0.6 |
-
| | LM | SN | M | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Conioselinum pacificum | Pacific Hemlock-Parsley | Perennial | 0.0 |
-
| | LM | N | M | 2 | 1 | |
| Conioselinum vaginatum | | Perennial | 0.8 |
-
| | LMH | SN | M | 0 | 1 | |
| Gymnanthemum amygdalinum | Bitterleaf | Shrub | 8.0 |
10-12
| M | LMH | N | DM | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Lilium pardalinum | Panther Lily, Leopard lily, Pitkin Marsh lily, Vollmer's lilyShasta lily, Wiggins' lily | Bulb | 2.0 |
5-9
| M | LMH | SN | MWe | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Linum bienne | Pale Flax | Annual/Perennial | 0.6 |
6-9
| | LM | N | M | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Linum catharticum | Purging Flax, Fairy flax | Annual | 0.3 |
0-0
| | LM | N | M | 0 | 2 | |
| Linum crepitans | | Annual | 0.6 |
-
| | LM | N | M | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Linum humile | | Annual | 0.6 |
-
| | LM | N | M | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Linum marginale | Native Flax | Perennial | 0.6 |
-
| | LM | N | M | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Linum monogynum | | Perennial | 0.6 |
7-10
| | LM | N | M | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Linum perenne | Perennial Flax, Blue flax, Alpine flax | Perennial | 0.3 |
5-9
| M | LM | N | DM | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Linum strictum | | Annual | 0.4 |
5-9
| | LM | N | DM | 0 | 1 | |
| Linum usitatissimum | Flax, Common flax | Annual | 0.7 |
4-8
| | LM | N | M | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| Mesembryanthemum crystallinum | Ice Plant, Common iceplant | Perennial | 0.1 |
8-11
| | LMH | N | DM | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Pedicularis sceptrum carolinum | Lousewort | Perennial | 1.2 |
-
| | LMH | SN | M | 1 | 1 | |
| Petroselinum crispum | Parsley | Biennial | 0.6 |
0-0
| M | LMH | SN | M | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Petroselinum crispum tuberosum | Hamburg Parsley | Biennial | 0.6 |
0-0
| | LMH | SN | M | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Petroselinum segetum | Corn Caraway | Biennial | 1.0 |
-
| | LMH | SN | M | 1 | 0 | |
| Peucedanum oreoselinum | | Perennial | 1.0 |
4-8
| | LMH | N | M | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Pteridium aquilinum | Bracken, Western brackenfern, Decomposition brackenfern, Hairy brackenfern | Fern | 1.2 |
4-7
| F | LMH | SN | DM | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Pteridium aquilinum esculentum | Bracken | Fern | 1.2 |
4-8
| | LMH | SN | DM | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Talinum aurantiacum | Orange Flameflower | Perennial | 0.4 |
-
| | LMH | SN | M | 1 | 0 | |
| Talinum fruticosum | Tahitian Spinach, Waterleaf, Ceylon Spinach | Perennial | 0.5 |
8-11
| F | LMH | SN | DM | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Thalictrum collinum | Lesser meadow-rue | Perennial | 0.0 |
0-0
| | LMH | SN | M | 0 | 1 | |
|
Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
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Botanical References
Links / References
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