Yellow Flax, Linum rigidum is found throughout Texas and the Southern Plains. This small flowered annual is easy to spot because of its yellow orange petals accented with red. It blooms May through July and tolerates dry conditions.

Where you find one of these flowers you usually will find more nearby.

Flaxes are important nectar and pollen sources to many insects like these Buprestid flower beetles, and native bees.

Here is an example of Wild Blue Flax, Linum lewisii. This perennial member of Linaceae (Flax Family) makes gorgeous blue flowers. This species can be found in bloom from March through September throughout the Great Plains. In the image above notice how the flower leans towards the horizontal, this is characteristic of L. lewisii.

The above is from West Texas and the plants are struggling due to dry conditions. I love to see these flowers because they make beautiful subjects for photographs.

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