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Linum catharticum

Fairy Flax · Bitter Flax · Cathartic Flax

Family LinaceaeGenus Linum

A small white flower with five veined petals and a yellow-green center, on a thread-fine stem.
FlowerNo machine-readable author provided. Aroche assumed (based on copyright claims).CC BY-SA 2.5

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
annual or perennialPlants of the World Online
Habit
Annual, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Flower
White, whitishFlora of North America
Native range
Albania, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; Flora of North America — Flora of North America Editorial Committee; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Purging flax, or fairy flax, is a small annual of Britain, Iceland, central Europe and western Asia that flowers in July and August. It is a known host of the flax rust fungus. Wikipedia: Linum catharticum

Two sources report 5 treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 28, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 27, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 6 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3, in 10 days.

71% germination in 2–10 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Linum p. 54Public domain
Show the original text
Linum (Ltnaceae). L. catharticum germ. 70L-40-70D(71% in 2-10 d) and 70D-40-70D(17% on 3rd d). Germination in 70 GA-3, 40-70D, and OT were under 5%. Seeds DS 6 m germ. 40(14% in 12th w) and 70D(none).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Linum p. 54. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around October 5, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 4, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 6 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3, in 3 days.

17% germination in 3 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Linum p. 54Public domain
Show the original text
Linum (Ltnaceae). L. catharticum germ. 70L-40-70D(71% in 2-10 d) and 70D-40-70D(17% on 3rd d). Germination in 70 GA-3, 40-70D, and OT were under 5%. Seeds DS 6 m germ. 40(14% in 12th w) and 70D(none).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Linum p. 54. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around July 16, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on July 15, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C

about 6 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 84 days.

14% germination in 84 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Linum p. 54Public domain
Show the original text
Linum (Ltnaceae). L. catharticum germ. 70L-40-70D(71% in 2-10 d) and 70D-40-70D(17% on 3rd d). Germination in 70 GA-3, 40-70D, and OT were under 5%. Seeds DS 6 m germ. 40(14% in 12th w) and 70D(none).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Linum p. 54. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 18, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Gibberellic acid soak

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 18 days to germinate.

48% germination in 6–18 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Linum p. 171Public domain
Show the original text
Linum (Unaceae). The yellow flowered Linums centering around L. catharticum germ. 70D GA-3(48% in 6-18 d) and 70D(9% in 2nd w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Linum p. 171. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 5

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 22, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 14 days to germinate.

9% germination in 14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Linum p. 171Public domain
Show the original text
Linum (Unaceae). The yellow flowered Linums centering around L. catharticum germ. 70D GA-3(48% in 6-18 d) and 70D(9% in 2nd w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Linum p. 171. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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