How to Germinate Wild Flax

The attractive blue flowers and nutritious seeds of the wild flax plant (linum marginale) make it worth growing in your own home landscape. It is found naturally growing throughout forests and wooded areas, as well as near swamps and low-lying moist regions. The plant, often referred to as native or wild flax, grows 1 to 2 feet high and produces slender stems that grow straight upward. These stems produce flowers throughout the year, which mature into seed packets. You can eat the seeds straight from the plant, as indigenous Americans once did. Native Americans also used the stems for fiber and making clothing.

Seed-starting mix
Seedling trays or pots

Instructions

- 1
  Remove ripe seeds from the papery capsule of the seed heads of the flax plant. In October and November, seeds are generally mature and turn a brown, gold or tan color. Break the papery capsule or rub it against a wire screen to completely remove the seeds, which usually number seven to 10 in each capsule. Seeds remain viable for several years.
- 2
  Soak seeds for a few days to leach any germination inhibitors that could slow germination. Wet flax seeds produce a gelatinous coat that helps them stick to the soil, so moistening is beneficial prior to planting.
- 3
  Prepare a seed-starting mix in pots or a seedling tray. Place seeds at a depth of 1/8-inch or more in soil and provide moderate water to keep soil evenly moist. It is best to sow the seeds in fall.
- 4
  Transplant seedlings to individual pots once they reach a few inches tall. If you live in a cold location, keep them in a green house or grow indoors until the risk of frost is past.
- 5
  Place outdoors in spring or when frost risk is past. A full sun or partial shade location and sandy or sandy loam soil is ideal. Do not provide water once the plant is well-established, except during long periods of drought.

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