Linum marginale aka Wild Flax

Linum marginale, or native flax, is in the Linaceae family. This plant lives for years. It comes from the south and east of Australia. Its range takes in southwestern Australia. It reaches north into southern Queensland. It also grows in Tasmania, Victoria, and New South Wales. Kew puts it in the subtropical climate group. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

Plants reach about 2 feet [0.6 metres] in height. In their native range, they grow in grassland and open forest. Records also show them in montane and subalpine areas, high in the hills and mountains. Sandy loam forms part of their wild habitat. The supplied accounts do not say how wide mature plants grow. They give no details of the leaves or flowers. Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects move pollen from flower to flower. The evidence gives no bloom season for this species. It does not describe the fruit.

The species account lists sand and loam for garden soil. Soil needs to stay moist but drain well. Its listed pH range runs from slightly acid to slightly alkaline. This plant does not grow in shade. Plants For A Future lists it for garden beds. It reports that plants survived 19°F [-7°C] in Australian gardens. It warns that this limit may not hold in British gardens. Britain has cooler summers and longer, wetter winters. These make the two hard to compare. The evidence thus leaves its British hardiness unclear.

You can eat the seeds raw or cooked. They have little taste. When wet, they form mucilage, a gel-like substance. Plants For A Future gives their food value a low rating. The stems yield strong fibre for nets and cord. That source lists no known uses as medicine or known hazards. This does not prove safety for people or pets. It also records no weed potential for the species. The supplied evidence names no pests or diseases.

Plants For A Future says to sow seeds under glass in spring. Put each seedling in its own pot when large enough to handle. Keep young plants under glass through their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after frost. You can also grow more plants from basal cuttings in spring. These are cuttings from the plant's base. Splitting plants is another way. Cuttings should have some stem from below ground. Root them in pots under cover, then plant in summer.