Linum lewisii


Linum lewisii is a perennial plant in the family Linaceae, native to western North America from Alaska south to Baja California, and from the Pacific Coast east to the Mississippi River. It grows on ridges and dry slopes, from sea level in the north up to in the Sierra Nevada.
The plant was named for North American explorer Meriwether Lewis.
It is a slender herbaceous plant growing to 80 cm tall, with spirally arranged narrow lanceolate leaves 1–2 cm long. The flowers are pale blue or lavender to white, often veined in darker blue, with five petals 1–1.5 cm long.

Cultivation

Linum lewisii is extremely durable, even aggressive, in favorable conditions, successfully seeding even into established lawns.

File:Blue flax Linum lewisii flower close.jpg|The inflorescence is a terminal open racime.
File:Linum lewisii 9620.JPG|Flowers are pale blue or lavender to white, often veined in darker blue, with varying-length styles.
File:Linum lewisii 9746.JPG|Leaves are lanceolate, spirally arranged, long.

Uses

According to Melvin R. Gilmore, the seeds were gathered by Native Americans and cooked for their flavor and nutritious quality.