Scarlet Flax Seeds

• Scarlet Flax Seeds
• The Scarlet Flax Plant
• How to Sow Scarlet Flax
• How to Grow Scarlet Flax
• Tips for Growing Scarlet Flax
• Diseases and Pests of Scarlet Flax
• Uses and Curiosities of Scarlet Flax

Scarlet Flax Seeds

Scarlet Flax (Linum grandiflorum), also known as Flowering Flax or Red Flax, is a hardy annual plant in the Flax family, native to North Africa. It differs from common fiber flax in its large, vividly colored flowers, often an intense crimson red with a darker center.

The Scarlet Flax Plant

It forms a small, upright, slender bush with thin, sturdy, hairless stems in silvery-green, reaching 40-50 cm in height. The leaves are small, linear to lance-shaped, with prominent veins.

The flat, cup-shaped flowers, 2-4 cm wide, are made of five lobed, satiny petals; in the most common variety (Rubrum) they are blood red, though white, sky-blue and salmon variants also exist. Each flower lasts only a day, but the plant keeps producing new ones from early summer through autumn.

How to Sow Scarlet Flax

Sow directly outdoors in spring, once frost danger has passed, in light, well-drained soil and a sunny spot. It dislikes transplanting, so direct sowing is always preferable to starting it in a seedbed.

How to Grow Scarlet Flax

It's one of the easiest hardy annuals to grow: it prefers full sun and, once established, tolerates drought well thanks to its North African origins suited to Mediterranean summer heat. Regular watering is only needed during germination and early growth.

It blooms from summer into autumn with an uninterrupted succession of flowers, and readily self-seeds in light soils, often returning spontaneously the following year.

Tips for Growing Scarlet Flax

Ideal for sunny beds, rockeries and cottage-style borders, where its light, continuous blooming quickly creates a natural, spontaneous effect. It also does well broadcast-sown in dense groups for a fuller display.

Diseases and Pests of Scarlet Flax

It's a generally very resistant plant with no major disease issues. Excess moisture and heavy, poorly drained soil can favor root rot, best avoided by ensuring good drainage.

Uses and Curiosities of Scarlet Flax

Unlike Linum usitatissimum, grown for textile fiber and edible seeds, Scarlet Flax is grown purely as an ornamental for the beauty of its satiny flowers. Its simple, fleeting bloom, similar to a poppy's, makes it perfect for quickly creating a naturalistic or Mediterranean-style garden scene.