Information on the Flax Plant

Description

• The 37 species of flax plant share several traits in common, including that they are usually annual plants with long stems, which terminate in blue or white flowers at certain times of year. In some varieties the flowers are red or yellow, and they always have five petals. The flowering period usually lasts six weeks. The stalks are semi-woody, and have green, spineless leaves. The stems are green and reach heights of between 2 and 3 feet.

Cultivation

• You should plant flax seeds in the early spring. Do not plant crops immediately following a crop of canola, sugar beet or potato, nor should you plant it more often than one out of every three years per rotation. Consult your state college extension school or local nursery to select the variety of flax that is best suited to your area. You should fertilize flax with nitrogen, at a proportion of about 50 to 80 lbs per acre of crop. Depending on your region, you may need to apply fungicide or insecticide to ensure healthy growth.

Nutritional Uses

• You can consume flax seeds in either whole or ground form, both of which have a brown hue and distinctive nutty flavor. You can also use flax seed oil as a nutritional supplement under the supervision of a physician. Flax seeds are high in alpha-linoleic acids, which is a type of omega-3 fatty acid. Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory effects. Studies have suggested that individuals who consume more omega-3 fatty acids have a lower incidence of heart disease or high cholesterol.

Industrial Uses

• Linseed oil is produced from flax plants. Farmers use linseed oil meal as a livestock feed; it is more than one-third crude protein. Farmers also use blue flax for livestock feed. Artists use linseed oil to dry paints or ink. Some papers are made from flax fiber. It is also used as a wild and domestic bird feed. Linen comes from the flax plant; it was one of the earliest fibers developed for fabric-making.