Prairie Flax Linum perenne

Perennial Flax is, as the common name says, a flowering, short-lived, perennial subshrub in the flax family, native to Asia and Europe, with attractive blue flowers that bloom from spring into summer. It is a heavy bloomer with flowers that open early on sunny mornings, but often drop petals by the end of the day. The thin, wiry stems that support the flower buds appear delicate, but are difficult to break. The genus name comes from the Latin name of the plant and the species name means perennial.

Perennial Flax grows best in full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil is essential. A light soil and full sun will, however, encourage growth and flowering. It will tolerate drought and dry or rocky soil, but clay soils can cause the plant to root shallowly that will cause problems for the plant in cold weather. If clay cannot be avoided, consider growing the plant as an annual.

After perennial flax finishes flowering in summer, prune back the stems by half to prevent the plants from becoming leggy and sparse. Pruning halfway through the bloom season will extend flowering. Division is not advisable, because the roots system is sparse, but you can propagate with seed or stem cuttings in summer. 

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:

Cutworms and grasshoppers can be occasional pests.