Linum bienne
Narrow leaved flax
(c) Duarte Frade, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Duarte Frade · licence
Family: Linaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Linum bienne (Narrow leaved flax) is a non-native California herb in the Linaceae family, recognized by small blue flowers and perennial habit.
Narrow leaved flax is a naturalized perennial herb found in northwestern California, the Cascade Range foothills, northern Sierra Nevada foothills, Central Valley, and central western California in grasslands, woodlands, and disturbed places, particularly near coastal areas at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces light blue flowers 6 to 10 millimeters long with delicate translucent-margined sepals. Growing with glabrous stems 15 to 60 centimeters tall, it forms a weak, open habit. Its leaves are narrow and linear, measuring 5 to 25 millimeters long with no stipule glands. The fruit develops into a capsule 4 to 6 millimeters wide that splits into 10 somewhat adherent segments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; key features are small blue flowers and perennial habit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Garden escape; grassland, woodland, disturbed places, especially coastal
Elevation: < 1000 m
California counties: Butte, Alameda, Yuba, San Luis Obispo, Napa, Mendocino, San Mateo, Humboldt, Placer, El Dorado, Shasta, Amador, Nevada, Contra Costa, Marin, Calaveras, Tehama, Solano, Del Norte, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Alpine, Monterey
Outside California: native to Eurasia
Bloom period
Linum bienne blooms Mar-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Nemophila: Linum has 5 separate styles; Nemophila has 1-2 styles.; vs Leptosiphon: Linum has 5 styles and no petal tube; Leptosiphon has 3 styles and fused petals forming a tube.; vs Pelargonium: Linum has 5 equal styles and radial flowers; Pelargonium has fused styles and bilateral flowers.; vs Papaver: Linum has 5 distinct styles; Papaver has a disc-like stigma with no separate styles.; vs Gilia: Linum has 5 separate styles; Gilia has 3 styles and tubular fused petals.
Frequently asked questions
Is Linum bienne native to California?
No. Linum bienne is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Linum bienne bloom?
Linum bienne blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Linum bienne grow?
Linum bienne occurs in Butte, Alameda, Yuba, San Luis Obispo, Napa, Mendocino, San Mateo, Humboldt and other counties, at elevations of < 1000 m.
What plant family does Linum bienne belong to?
Linum bienne is in the Linaceae family, genus Linum.
What habitat does Linum bienne grow in?
Linum bienne grows in Garden escape; grassland, woodland, disturbed places, especially coastal.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.