Japanese name: シュッコンアマ（宿根亜麻） Scientific name:Linum perenne
[Overview]
A perennial 50–70 cm tall.
It is sensitive to heat, so in Japan it is mainly treated as an annual sown in autumn.
The stems and leaves are tinged grayish green.
The stem is slender and branches in the upper part.
The leaves are simple and alternate, linear to lanceolate, 1–2.5 cm long, with entire margins.
Blue 5-petaled flowers 2–3 cm across are borne in panicles at the stem tips.
There are also white-flowered forms.
The fruit is a capsule.
[History]
It was introduced as an ornamental in the Meiji period, and plants that have escaped into the wild are sometimes seen.
[Uses]
The seed oil is used medicinally, and the fibers obtained from the stems are used for textiles and other purposes.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed.
It can overwinter outdoors in regions without frost.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained place.
It prefers a rather dry environment, so rainfall is sufficient.
If base fertilizer is applied, no further fertilizer is particularly needed; too much fertilizer can make it leggy and cause it to fall over.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
