Blue flax, Wild flax, Prairie flax
| Botanical Name | Linum lewisii (Discovered by Meriwether Lewis on the Lewis & Clark expedition in the early 1800's) |
| Common Name | Blue flax, Wild flax, Prairie flax |
| Family | Linaceae - Flax |
| Description | A perennial with small narrow leaves and slender stalk. |
| Mature Size | Approximately 2'. |
| Bloom | May-July. Flower is delicate light to deep blue, 1" wide, and cup-shaped. Flowers are usually near top of plant. Shatters easily. Opens early in the day and usually closes by mid-day unless it's cloudy. |
| Interesting Facts | According to Leonora Curtin in Healing Herbs of the Upper Rio Grande, Linum lewisii once grew so plentifully in New Mexico that there was a river named for it. |
| Traditional and Medicinal Uses | Several Native American tribes used this plant for making rope. It is a member of the family that gives us linen and linseed oil. Ground seeds, with other ingredients, were used for infected wounds and boils. |
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Photo for SFBG by Sonny Tucker
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Photo for SFBG by Kay Burdette
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