This member of the flax family comes from the foothills of the Himalayas. It is a particularly useful plant because it produces stunning, clear butter yellow flowers in the middle of winter, bringing some much-needed cheer when the rest of the garden is bare.
Common name: Yellow flax or linum
Botanic name: Reinwardtia indica
The genus name, Reinwardtia, commemorates Prof. Kaspar Reinwardt, Director of Leiden Botanic Gardens, Holland. The species name, indica, is from the Latin meaning ‘of India’.
Description:
A small evergreen shrub growing to about 1m (3′) tall. It forms a bushy clump with erect stems suckering from the base. The oval-shaped leaves are lime green. From May to August it produces masses of 5-petalled, butter-yellow flowers.
Best climate:
Linum grows in all but the coldest areas of Australia. Protect from frost.
Uses:
winter flowering shrub
tub or pot plant
mass plantings
Good points:
cheerful, yellow flowers in winter
hardy
easy to grow
Downside:
Although evergreen, the foliage is sparse. Plants in pots can be moved out of sight when not in flower.
Care:
Linums grow well in either full sun or light shade. They prefer a light, well-drained soil. In late winter, after flowering, prune the whole plant back by half to encourage bushiness.
Getting started:
Linums are available at nurseries, particularly in winter when they are in flower.
They can also be propagated by dividing an established clump in winter, or from soft-tip cuttings taken in spring.