Grooved Flax
Linum sulcatum
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
Joshua Mayer
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Linaceae
- Genus:
- Linum
- Species:
- Linum sulcatum
- USDA Symbol:
- LISU4
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★★☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Agrotis orthogonia, Alfalfa Looper (Autographa californica), Army cutworm (Euxoa auxiliaris), Armyworm moth (Pseudaletia unipuncta), Bertha armyworm (Mamestra configurata), corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea), Euxoa tessellata, Ononis moth (Heliothis ononis), Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum), Tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, bees
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Native to prairies and glades where periodic fire maintains open habitat. Reseeds readily after fire disturbance.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- Prefers open, sunny habitats; often found in prairies and rocky outcrops.
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Light may enhance germination. Seeds are small and should be surface-sown or lightly covered.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI