Blue Flax vs Canada Mint - TreeTime.ca

Blue Flax vs Canada Mint

Linum lewisii

Mentha canadensis

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Blue Flax
Canada Mint

Blue Flax is a native perennial wildflower known for its blue to violet flowers. Each flower lasts just a single day, but new blooms appear continuously, providing weeks of colour. This extended flowering period provides a reliable display from late spring into summer and attracts a variety of pollinators.

They can self-seed readily, so removing spent blooms helps manage their spread. Birds feed on the seeds, and when cooked, they are edible and are described as having a mild, nutty flavour. The plant grows in loose clumps with slender stems and fine foliage. Young plants are leafy, but as they mature, most leaves are shed.

Blue Flax grows well in a wide range of soils, including poor or sandy conditions, and is drought-tolerant once established. The deep root system helps to stabilize soil and prevent erosion. They are well-suited for pollinator gardens, restoration, naturalization, and xeriscaping projects.

Canada Mint is a native perennial plant known for its fragrant edible leaves. It produces small white to purple flowers in clusters around the stem and is commonly found in wet areas, including ditches and along wetlands, lakes, and rivers. The leaves can be eaten fresh or used to make teas and essential oils.

Canada Mint can spread quickly through underground rhizomes, making it well-suited to naturalization and restoration projects where it can spread freely. In smaller urban yards or gardens, container planting is recommended to help manage its growth. If planted directly in the ground, regular care and maintenance may be needed to limit its spread.

Blue Flax Quick Facts

Canada Mint Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 1a
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, rounded, clump-forming
Growth form: spreading, colony forming
Spreading: seeds - high
Spreading: rhizomes - high, seeds - low
Maintenance: medium
Maintenance: medium

Toxicity: toxic to some animals, raw seed toxic

Foliage: aromatic, edible
Flowers: pale to deep blue-violet
Flowers: small, white to purple clusters along stem
Bloom time: late spring to mid summer
Bloom time: mid summer to early fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, YT, NT, NU
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, PE
Other Names: lewis flax, lewis wild blue flax, prairie flax, wild blue flax
Other Names: american wild mint