Where and when can flax flowers be seen?

Speaking of flax, it is famous as a raw material for flaxseed oil and linen dough that can be squeezed from seeds, but did you know that flowers are also characteristic? The color is beautiful blue, and it is very cute when small flowers shake, but in fact flax flowers are known to be very ephemeral. So this time, I would like to introduce flax flowers, places where flax flowers can be seen in Japan and around the world, and the season when they bloom.

About flax flowers

Flax flowers bloom small flowers on stems that are as thick as a thin, fluffy matchstick. When the flowers are scattered, they bear fruit with seeds. Flax is a strong plant that can be cultivated in any soil. The sowing season is from April to May. The seeds sown during that period germinate in about 3 to 10 days and grow over about 2 months. When the stem grows to a height of about 60 °, it then blooms. You can enjoy the blue flowers swaying for a couple of weeks as the flowering period, but the short life of one flower is the reason why flax flowers are ephemeral. Below, we explain the characteristics of flax flowers and the seasons in which they can be seen.

When can you see flax flowers?

One and a half months after sowing flax seeds and germinating from April to May, the height grows to about 60 °. Then, about half a month later, small flowers bloom on the tips of thin stems. The flax flowers can be seen for a couple of weeks, but the period during which one flower can be enjoyed is very short, and the number of days is about one day.

Moreover, flax flowers will disappear in the afternoon if many cute flowers bloom in the morning in the morning sun. It is precious and beautiful because it has a very short life. If you want to enjoy the flowers for a long time, you can enjoy them for a long time by adding fertilizer when the flowers start to bloom.

Flax flowers bloom in the early summer season from June to July. Flax-related events are often held during this period. Especially in Hokkaido, where flax is cultivated, many people come to flax events because there is no rainy season and flax flowers bloom in the sunny and comfortable season. However, what I want to pay attention to during this period is the time when I go to see it. As mentioned earlier, if you think that flax flowers have bloomed in the morning, they will close and scatter in about half a day. Therefore, it is possible that I went out in the afternoon but couldn't see the flax flowers. Start early in the morning when you go to see flax flowers.

Reference: About flax flowers Colors and how they bloom

Places where flax flowers can be seen in Japan

Flax that is resistant to dryness and weak to heat is suitable for cultivation in cold regions. Hokkaido is the cultivated area for flax in Japan. In this item, I would like to introduce the places where flax flowers can be seen in Japan.

Flax flowers can be seen in Hokkaido in Japan

Flax is currently cultivated in many countries, especially in cold regions.

In Japan, flax cultivation in Hokkaido began in the early Meiji era to collect fiber from flax stalks.

After becoming a flourishing textile industry for the munitions industry, production was cut off due to being pushed by chemical fibers and flax produced overseas. However, there is also an activity to revitalize this historic crop flax again in Hokkaido, and in 2001, about 40 years later, an activity to revive flax cultivation in Tobetsu-cho, Hokkaido has started, and flax in Hokkaido. You can see the flowers.

Flax flowers can be seen in Tobetsu Town, Hokkaido

The place where flax plants are cultivated in Hokkaido is Tobetsu-cho, Ishikari-gun, Hokkaido. In addition, it is cultivated in Date, Assabu Town, Hiyama District, etc. As I wrote in the previous item, this place is the place where flax cultivation is revived in Hokkaido, and it is also the place where you can see the flax flowers that have been cut off for a long time in Japan.

By establishing a cultivation method from scratch, producers have spent a long period of more than 10 years cultivating flax without using pesticides. This long-standing hardship has paid off, and now an event called the "Hokkaido Flax Festival" is being held in Tobetsu Town. This event is characterized by flax flowers falling in half a day for only one day, so it starts early in the morning and ends in the afternoon. During the period, it is a big event that more people visit from Sapporo and other suburbs.

Places where flax flowers can be seen in the world

Flax cultivation is widespread all over the world. The reason is that flax seeds become an oil with essential fatty acids called flaxseed oil, and the fiber that can be obtained from the stems becomes a dough that is loved for its unique texture of linen. From here, I would like to explain the flax producing areas and the areas where flax flowers can be seen.

Europe is a flax producing area

Flax cultivation is actively produced and consumed mainly in North America and Europe.

Especially in Europe, from the latter half of the 18th century to the first half of the 19th century before the rise of chemical fibers, linen cloth was widely used not only for clothing but also for indoor items such as towels, table cloths, napkins and sheets. Then, textile products were so popular that they were called linen products. Further tracing, flax fiber has a long history in Europe, has built a great culture as the oldest clothing of mankind, and still boasts its tradition as a fashion item.

Areas where flax flowers can be seen in Europe

The most famous area for flax flowers is the Normandy region of France. In June, the Normandy region is covered with a light blue flux. It is different from the flax found in Hokkaido, Japan, and is characterized by being about 1 meter tall. If you want to see flax flowers in Europe, please visit the Normandy region.

Reference: Relationship between Europe and linen

Summary

Opportunities to see flax flowers are limited. I think many people never see flax flowers. Pretty blue flowers that can only be seen for a limited time, for a limited time, and in a limited place. It is too delicate as a flax flower, which is often thought of as a strong plant that grows in cold regions and provides various things that are useful for people's lives. We hope you will remember that flax has such a delicate and lovely side in our lives.

Reference: Flax flower language and birth flower