[The Flax Family East of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]
Western Blue Flax, Prairie Flax, Wild Blue Flax
Linum lewisii var. lewisii
Synonym: Linum perenne var. lewisii
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Western blue flax beginning to bloom at left along the Alder Springs Trail #855, Crooked River National Grasslands......May 11, 2018. The photo at right shows the flower of western blue flax in bloom along the Fremont National Recreation Trail on the northwest side of Hager Mountain, Fremont-Winema National Forest......June 18, 2020.
Western blue flax from Iron Mt
in the western Cascades, east of Eugene, OR....7/14/90.
Characteristics:
Also known as wild blue flax, western blue flax is a pretty
western wildflower often used in wildflower gardens. It is a popular seed in
wildflower mixes, although plants may actually be the eurasian species, Linum
perenne. The numerous stems grow from 15-80 cm in height from a taproot.
The herbage is glabrous or often glaucous. The leaves are numerous and usually
longer than the internodes. The are linear in outline, 1-nerved and from 1-3
cm long and 1-3 mm wide.
The inflorescence is a raceme. The pedicels are erect to suberect
and 0.5-2 cm long at flowering. The sepals are elliptic to elliptic-ovate in
shape with entire margines. The flowers are large, blue-petaled with whitish
to yellowish bases. They measure 12-23 mm long and are somewhat wedge-shaped
to obovate in shape. The styles are typically about equal to the stamens.
Habitat:
Western blue flax is found on dry, well-drained ground from
lower grasslands to the higher alpine ridges.
Range:
Western blue flax is found across much of the northern hemisphere. Variety
lewisii is the native species found across much of western North America.
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Western blue flax blooming on balds along the Lick Creek Trail #1809, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.......July 17, 2019.
Western blue flax in bloom along the steep, first quarter mile of the trail from the Steens Mountain summit down to Wildhorse Lake, Harney County, Oregon.........July 10, 2014.
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Western blue flax as seen along Forest Service Road #2230 between Mount Pisgah and East Point, Ochoco National Forest.........August 13, 2015.
Western blue flax still in bloom amongst early snow patches on the west rim of the Kiger Gorge, Steens Mountain...........September 19, 2015.
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Western blue flax blooming (left) on slopes above the east side of Bond Creek several hundred meters south of Hot Springs Campground, Hart Mt. National Antelope Refuge..........June 11, 2016. The photos at center and at right show western blue flax in bloom along the road paralleling Rock Creek in Hot Springs Campground, Hart Mt. National Antelope Refuge........June 9, 2016.
Western blue flax at pass level on the Frances Lake Trail, Eagle
Cap Wilderness.........July 1997.
Western blue flax from the Frances Lake Trail, Eagle Cap Wilderness.......July
25, 1997.
Paul Slichter