Seeds 1200 Seed

Scarlet Flax (Linum grandiflorum) is one of the most rewarding cool-season annuals you can grow. Each slender stem carries saucer-shaped flowers about 4 cm wide in glowing rose-pink to scarlet, set off by a dark central eye. Plants reach roughly 10-50 cm tall and shimmer in the lightest breeze, making them perfect for ornamental borders, sunny beds, and naturalistic wildflower drifts that bloom from late spring through summer into autumn.

Planting

In Egypt, sow in the cool season: from autumn (October-November) through the mild winter into early spring. In the Delta and Lower Egypt, sow October-November for a late-winter to spring display; in hotter Upper Egypt, favour an earlier October sowing to beat the early heat. Flax dislikes transplanting, so always direct-sow where plants are to grow. Cover the seed barely, to about 5 mm, as light aids germination. Thin seedlings to about 15 cm apart, and sow every 2-3 weeks to extend the bloom. Seeds emerge in roughly 20-25 days, sometimes sooner in warm soil.

Fertilizing

Feed sparingly. Avoid added fertilizer and manure, since rich soil reduces flowering. Light, moderately fertile, free-draining loam or sandy soil gives the best display, and no routine feeding is needed through the season.

Care

Grow in full sun, with 6 or more hours of direct light daily; partial shade is tolerated but flowering suffers. Keep soil consistently moist during germination and establishment, then water less as plants become drought-tolerant. Around early to mid summer, cut back about half of the flowering stems by half to prolong the show. Generally pest- and disease-free, though slugs, snails, and aphids may occasionally appear. Left to set seed, this annual readily self-seeds and often returns the following season.