Native Flax

Native Flax (Linum marginale) is a fine upright perennial that carries pale blue flowers on wiry stems through spring and summer. It reaches about 60cm tall and only 30cm across, so it slots between shrubs and along path edges where a bulkier plant would crowd. Each flower lasts a morning, but they open in sequence for months.

Why you'll love it

• True blue flowers, which are rare. Few Australian perennials flower this colour, and the pale blue reads beautifully against grey foliage and gravel.
• Narrow enough for tight beds. At 30cm wide it fits a 400mm border strip and threads through other planting rather than dominating it.
• Genuinely tough. Frost hardy, drought tolerant and content in poor soil, so it holds up in gardens that get little attention.
• A bee and butterfly plant. The open flowers are easy for native bees to work, and a drift keeps a garden busy all summer.

Where it works best

Mass planting and drifts. Plant 30cm apart for a natural drift. Native flax looks wrong in a straight line, so vary the spacing slightly and let it read as a meadow patch.

Borders and edging. Its narrow habit suits the front of a bed or a path edge, where the wiry stems move in the wind without flopping onto paving.

Rockeries and small gardens. It takes gravel, poor soil and reflected heat, and its small footprint means even a courtyard can carry a dozen plants.

Growing native flax in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, all day. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid to semi-arid gardens, and handles frost without protection. Humid subtropical and tropical gardens are harder on it, where wet summers shorten its life.

Soil. Free draining and lean. Sand, gravel and rocky ground all suit. On clay, plant into a raised bed with coarse grit and skip the rich fertiliser, which only makes soft floppy growth.

Water and feed. Water weekly for the first three months, then only through extended dry spells. A single light dose of low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring is enough.

Pruning. Shear the whole plant back by a third after the main flush to keep it dense and encourage a second showing. It is a short lived perennial, three to five years, but it self seeds gently, so a patch renews itself.

What to expect when it arrives

Native flax is grown here in tubes, so expect a young plant with a small clump of fine foliage, generally 10 to 15cm tall, rather than a flowering specimen. Tube stock is the sensible way to buy this one, since at 30cm spacing a drift takes a good number of plants.

Fine stemmed plants travel best packed upright, and a little leaf loss on arrival is normal. Expect flowers in the first spring after planting and full size within a season. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the Australian native range
• Designing a native garden that attracts wildlife
• Plants for small gardens
• Choosing edging plants for a border

Common questions

How many plants make a drift?

At 30cm spacing you need about eleven plants per square metre for solid cover, or space them out to eight if you want gravel and rock showing between them. Odd numbered groups look more natural than an even grid.

Is it edible or safe for pets?

No on both counts. The foliage contains cyanogenic compounds, so we do not list it as edible or pet friendly. Keep it away from where a dog or a small child grazes.

How long does it live?

Three to five years is typical for an individual plant. It sets seed freely, so a well drained bed keeps replacing itself, and shearing after flowering extends the life of each plant.