Linum lewisii 'Appar'
‘Appar’ is a selected blue flax first released for conservation use in 1980. It was collected in the Black Hills and later determined to match Eurasian Linum perenne. Plants are hardy, very floriferous, and useful for restoration and open slopes. This selection stands out for deep blue color and adaptability in dry, sunny sites. It performs best with full sun, fast drainage, and low fertility.
At‑a‑glance
- Group/Class: Selected release (conservation cultivar)
- Height × spread: 12 to 36 in (30 to 90 cm) × 24 to 30 in (60 to 75 cm)
- Bloom window: mid May for about six weeks
- Color & flower form: deep blue; five petaled, saucer shaped
- Fragrance: 0 none
- USDA hardiness: zones 3 to 9
- Breeder / Year / Origin: USDA NRCS with partners, 1980, USA; collected by A. Perry Plummer
- Cut‑flower notes: Slender stems; expect roughly a week in preservative based on perennial flax cut flower research.
- Pet safety: generally regarded as not toxic to mammals in pre release tests; avoid ingestion
How it differs
- Deeper blue flowers than many wild sources.
- Heterostylous flowers consistent with L. perenne.
- Adapted to dry 10 to 18 inch rainfall belts at 1,000 to 6,000 ft.
- Selected for vigor and competitiveness with grasses.
Strengths
- Hardy and drought tolerant once established
- Useful for erosion control and seeding mixes
- Establishes on poor, well drained soils
- Low maintenance with showy color
Care in one minute
- Site: full sun; avoid shade from taller plants
- Soil: well drained; neutral to slightly alkaline; low fertility
- Water: light once established; deeper but infrequent soaks in drought
- Feeding: not needed; excess fertility encourages flop
- Grooming: allow some pods to ripen for self sowing; cut back in late winter
Watch‑outs
- Short lived five to seven years; relies on reseeding
- Intolerant of poor drainage or flooding
- Petals shed by afternoon during bloom
Best uses (tags)
slopes, meadows, restoration, low water borders, pollinators
Provenance note
Named in honor of A. Perry Plummer. Released by USDA NRCS, the Forest Service, the University of Idaho, and Utah partners in 1980.
References
- USDA NRCS Plant Guide: Blue and Lewis flax; ‘Appar’ release notes
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder: Linum perenne ‘Appar’
Written by: Your Flowers Guide editorial team
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