Native Plants

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Flaigg, Norman G.

Linum rigidum

Linum rigidum Pursh

Stiffstem Flax, Large-flower Yellow Flax, Yellow Flax

Linaceae (Flax Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: LIRI

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

Yellow flax is common on the prairies of the Southwest. It is usually 8-20 inches tall, depending on growing conditions. It has a single blossom, 1-1 1/2 inches across, on each of its few branches. Leaves are alternate, narrow, and 1/3 inch long. The 5 yellow to orange petals have deep red centers from which grow the 5 stamens with yellow anthers. Each plant bears many flowers but usually only a few each day.

From the Image Gallery

21 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 20 inches tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red , Orange , Yellow
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: AR , CO , IA , IL , KS , MN , MO , MT , ND , NE , NM , OK , SD , TX , WI , WY
Canada: SK
Native Distribution: W. MN & Man. to Alt., s. to n. Mex.
Native Habitat: Upland prairies

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Sandy or gravelly soils.
Conditions Comments: Plant displays 2 or 3 open blooms at a time, eventually producing up to a dozen flowers. Found on sandy and light soils in grassland habitat. Height variable from 6" to just over 12", spread from 4" to 10".

Benefit

Warning: Animals have been poisoned, sometimes fatally, by eating plants in the Linum genus. Humans should generally avoid ingesting plants that are toxic to animals.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Deer Resistant: Minimal

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Sibley Nature Center - Midland, TX
Stengl Biological Research Station - Smithville, TX

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0391 Collected May 19, 1993 in Comal County by Mary Beth White

1 specimen(s) available in the Digital Herbarium

Bibliography

Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, Sally
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Linum rigidum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Linum rigidum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Linum rigidum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-16
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back