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An armload of Flax Bubble Grass
An armload of Flax Bubble Grass
Flax Bubble Grass growing in the field
A close up of Flax Bubble Grass
A close up of Flax Bubble Grass
A bunch of Flax Bubble Grass
A handful of Flax Bubble Grass

Flax ‘Bubble Grass’

Linum usitatissimum

Features

  • Dryable
  • Easy to grow
  • Foliage & Filler
  • One-hit wonder

Description

We’ve been growing flax (which we call bubble grass) for many years now, and I’m still head-over-heels in love with it. Its delicate, wandlike stems almost dance in bouquets. Stems are smothered in miniature periwinkle blue forget-me-not-like flowers. Though the flowers are adorable, they are short-lived, and as soon as petals drop, they leave behind small, glowing green beads. Flax makes a great textural addition to bouquets, can be used fresh or dried, and turns gold as it ages.

Details

Plant type: annual
Height: 36 to 40 in
Site: full sun
Days to maturity: 50 to 60 days
Plant spacing: 6 in
Pinch: do not pinch

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

Plants are very fast to flower, blooming in less than 2 months. If starting in trays, sow multiple seeds per cell or direct-seed into the garden. Don’t pinch plants.

Harvesting/Vase Life

Harvest after flowers drop their petals and leave behind their seedpods. Expect a vase life of 10 days. Over time, the green pods fade to gold and can be dried. To dry, hang freshly cut stems upside down in a warm, dark place for 2 to 3 weeks or until they are firm to the touch.

Details

Description

We’ve been growing flax (which we call bubble grass) for many years now, and I’m still head-over-heels in love with it. Its delicate, wandlike stems almost dance in bouquets. Stems are smothered in miniature periwinkle blue forget-me-not-like flowers. Though the flowers are adorable, they are short-lived, and as soon as petals drop, they leave behind small, glowing green beads. Flax makes a great textural addition to bouquets, can be used fresh or dried, and turns gold as it ages.

Details

Plant type: annual
Height: 36 to 40 in
Site: full sun
Days to maturity: 50 to 60 days
Plant spacing: 6 in
Pinch: do not pinch

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

Plants are very fast to flower, blooming in less than 2 months. If starting in trays, sow multiple seeds per cell or direct-seed into the garden. Don’t pinch plants.

Harvesting/Vase Life

Harvest after flowers drop their petals and leave behind their seedpods. Expect a vase life of 10 days. Over time, the green pods fade to gold and can be dried. To dry, hang freshly cut stems upside down in a warm, dark place for 2 to 3 weeks or until they are firm to the touch.

Sources

How to Grow

How to Grow

Fabulous Foliages and Fillers
Fabulous Foliages and Fillers

Having a steady supply of foliage is key to successfully making bouquets throughout the season—in spring, during the long months of summer, and into early fall. In this post, I’ll share the best staple foliages and foliage-like fillers, along with several of my favorite varieties.
Easy-to-grow Hardy Annuals
Easy-to-grow Hardy Annuals

Hardy annuals are some of the hardest-working, most productive plants in the late spring/early summer cutting garden. They are the first annuals to bloom in the spring, and their ability to withstand cold temperatures, thrive with minimal care, and produce abundantly for weeks from a single sowing make them an indispensable addition to the cut flower garden.
Grasses, Grains, and Pods
Grasses, Grains, and Pods

These unique textural elements add interest and depth to any arrangement with their rustic appeal, and they produce an abundance of cutting material from midsummer through autumn. In addition, many of these materials can be dried and used in autumn wreaths and arrangements, making them doubly valuable in the cutting garden.
Discovering Dried Flowers
Discovering Dried Flowers

Many cut flower varieties can be used either fresh or dried. Drying flowers means you can preserve the abundance from your garden to be enjoyed later when nothing is blooming. There are so many ways to use dried flowers, seed pods, and grasses: in late autumn arrangements, adorning fresh holiday wreaths, or even mixed with fresh blooms.
Fabulous Foliages and Fillers
Fabulous Foliages and Fillers
Easy-to-grow Hardy Annuals
Easy-to-grow Hardy Annuals
Grasses, Grains, and Pods
Grasses, Grains, and Pods
Discovering Dried Flowers
Discovering Dried Flowers

Winter Mini Course: Seed-Starting 101

Learn how to start flowers from seed in this three-part video series

In our upcoming Winter Mini Course, you’ll learn everything you need to know to successfully start flowers from seed, including all of the necessary supplies, step-by-step instructions, special tips and tricks, and how to create a simple indoor seed-starting area.