Red Flax

Name: Red Flax
Brand: Outdoor Dream Builders

Linum grandiflorum Rubrum

Silky scarlet-red petals shimmer atop wiry stems, adding a delicate Mediterranean touch to summer gardens.

A cool-season annual in USDA zones 9-11; fall- or early-spring-sown in the low desert to bloom before extreme summer heat, it reseeds in favorable years.

AMWUA Notes

A moderate-water annual offering delicate, abundant color from an easy direct sowing.

Care Guide

💧Watering

Water weekly during growth and bloom; it likes even moisture but sharp drainage, and its delicate stems resent both drought stress and soggy soil.

✂️Pruning

None beyond removing spent plants; the flowers are short-lived individually but produced in abundance, and it reseeds if allowed.

🌱Fertilizing

Minimal; lean soil keeps the wiry stems upright and free-flowering.

🛡️Pests

Trouble-free.

☀️Seasonal Notes

Grown as a cool-season annual in the low desert despite the "summer" label — sow in fall or early spring for bloom before intense heat, and let it reseed.

Soil, Feeding & Propagation

🪨Soil

Lean, well-drained soils; needs sharp drainage; delicate stems resent both drought stress and soggy soil.

💧Drainage

Needs well-drained soil.

🌱Nutrient Needs

None — thrives in lean desert soil without fertilizer.

🌰Propagation

Seed; direct-sow in fall or early spring (cool-season in the low desert) as it transplants poorly, and let it reseed.

📐Spacing

2–3 ft

🌳Roots & Placement

Minimal; a fine-rooted annual best direct-sown. Reseeds in favorable years.

Placement Tips

•Mass for a shimmering, see-through veil of silky orange atop fine wiry stems.
•Sow directly in place, since flax transplants poorly and germinates easily.
•Combine with sturdier plants that support its delicate, airy habit.
•Full sun with good drainage; excellent in a cut-flower or cottage-style desert bed.