Now available: PLANTS FOR YOUR FOOD FOREST: an important new book from PFAF. It focuses on the attributes of plants suitable for food forests, what each can contribute to a food forest ecosystem, including carbon sequestration, and the kinds of foods they yield. The book suggests that community and small-scale food forests can provide a real alternative to intensive industrialised agriculture, and help to combat the many inter-related environmental crises that threaten the very future of life on Earth. More >>>

Follow Us:

Linum catharticum - L.

Common Name

Purging Flax, Fairy flax

Family

Linaceae

USDA hardiness

Coming soon

Known Hazards

Poisonous in large doses[21].

Habitats

Grassland, dunes and moors[9], most commonly on calcareous grassland[17].

Range

Europe, including Britain, from Iceland south and east to Spain the Caucasus and Iran.

Edibility Rating

(0 of 5)

Other Uses

(0 of 5)

Weed Potential

No

Medicinal Rating

(2 of 5)

Care (info)

Moist Soil

Full sun


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Tigerente

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Liunum_catharticum1.jpg

Translate this page:

Summary

Physical Characteristics

Linum catharticum is a ANNUAL growing to 0.3 m (1ft). It is in flower from June to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Flies. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

None known

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.
Anthelmintic Diuretic Emetic Homeopathy Purgative

Purging flax was often used in the past as a gentle laxative, and also for the treatment of muscular rheumatism, liver complaints, jaundice and catarrhal problems[4, 244], though it is seldom used in modern herbalism[244]. The whole herb is anthelmintic, diuretic, emetic and purgative[4, 9, 21, 46]. It is harvested in the summer as it comes into flower and can be dried for later use[4]. When used as a purgative it is generally taken with a carminative such as peppermint[4]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant. It is used in the treatment of bronchitis, piles and amenorrhoea[9].

Now available: PLANTS FOR YOUR FOOD FOREST: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens.

An important new book from PFAF. It focuses on the attributes of plants suitable for food forests, what each can contribute to a food forest ecosystem, including carbon sequestration, and the kinds of foods they yield. The book suggests that community and small-scale food forests can provide a real alternative to intensive industrialised agriculture, and help to combat the many inter-related environmental crises that threaten the very future of life on Earth.

FOOD FOREST PLANTS

Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

Cultivation details

Prefers a light well-drained moderately fertile humus-rich soil in a sunny sheltered position[200].

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Celsius Fahrenheit:

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees, and Woodland Gardening. Our new book to be released soon is Edible Shrubs.

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in situ.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

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.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants

Latin Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Growth	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other
Allium pendulinum		Bulb	0.3	-		LM	S	M	3	2
Apium graveolens secalinum	Leaf Celery	Biennial	0.6	-		LM	SN	M	4	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
Linum crepitans		Annual	0.6	-		LM	N	M	0	0
Linum humile		Annual	0.6	-		LM	N	M	1	0
Linum hybrids	Perennial Flax	Perennial	0.8	7-11	F	LMH	N	M	4	4	4
Linum marginale	Native Flax	Perennial	0.6	-		LM	N	M	1	0
Linum monogynum		Perennial	0.6	7-10		LM	N	M	0	0
Linum perenne	Perennial Flax, Blue flax, Alpine flax	Perennial	0.3	5-9	M	LM	N	DM	3	2
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	0
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
Pteridium aquilinum	Bracken, Western brackenfern, Decomposition brackenfern, Hairy brackenfern	Fern	1.2	4-7	F	LMH	SN	DM	2	2	0
Pteridium aquilinum esculentum	Bracken	Fern	1.2	4-8		LMH	SN	DM	2	2
Talinum aurantiacum	Orange Flameflower	Perennial	0.4	-		LMH	SN	M	1	0
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.

Print Friendly and PDF

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

17

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Plant Uses

Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Other Plant uses
Woodland Gardening
Why Perennial Plants?
Top Edible Plants
Top Medicinal Plants
Garden Design
Habitats
Translations

Content

Content Help
Bookshop
Support Us
Blog
Links
Old Database Search
Suppliers
Contact
About Us

PFAF Newsletter

Stay informed about PFAFs progress, challenges and hopes by signing up for our free email ePost. You will receive a range of benefits including:
* Important announcements and news
* Exclusive content not on the website
* Updates on new information & functionality of the website & database

We will not sell or share your email address.
You can unsubscribe at anytime.

© 2010, Plants For A Future. Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. Some information cannot be used for commercial reasons or be modified (but some can). Please view the copyright link for more information.
Web Design & Management