Flax (Oilseed)
Linum usitatissimum
Cool-season annual oilseed and historic fiber crop in the family Linaceae; modern oilseed varieties are bred for seed yield and oil content rather than the long bast fibers of dual-purpose or fiber-specific flax. Adapted to short, cool growing seasons in roughly USDA hardiness zones 3-7, with most North American production concentrated in the northern Great Plains and the Canadian prairies. Sown in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked and seedbeds are firm; the crop matures in 85-110 days depending on cultivar, with harvest in mid- to late-summer as the bolls turn brown and seed moisture drops to roughly 9-11%. Seed contains ~40% oil with one of the highest alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, omega-3) fractions of any commodity oilseed (~55% of total fatty acids). Markets include industrial linseed oil (paints, linoleum, putties), edible flax oil and food-grade whole or milled seed (a fast-growing segment driven by omega-3 nutrition marketing), and animal feed. Fiber co-products from oilseed varieties are limited but specialty fiber markets exist for dual-purpose cultivars.
Crop Snowflake Score
Overview
Optimal growing temperature is 60-70F during vegetative growth and 70-80F during seed fill; the crop is intolerant of heat stress at flowering and prefers regions with reliably cool early-summer temperatures. Seedlings are sensitive to crusting and emergence is improved on firm, fine seedbeds with shallow planting (0.5-1.5 inch). Flax is poorly competitive with weeds during early establishment; pre-plant tillage, narrow row spacing (6-8 inches), and registered herbicides are typically required to manage broadleaf and grass pressure. Major diseases include pasmo (Septoria linicola), fusarium wilt, and aster yellows phytoplasma (vectored by aster leafhoppers); rotations of at least 4 years between flax crops are recommended for pasmo suppression. Major insect pests include cutworms, grasshoppers, and aster leafhopper. Yield potential is roughly 15-30 bu/acre at 56 lb/bu under typical dryland production, with irrigated and high-management systems exceeding 35 bu/acre. Harvest can be direct-combined when the crop matures evenly or windrowed first if weeds or uneven maturity are present; the tough fibrous stems require sharp cutterbars and reel-equipped headers, and some growers fit straw choppers or burn residue because oilseed-flax straw decomposes slowly. Storage is straightforward at <10% seed moisture in clean, dry bins; oxidation of the high-ALA oil makes whole seed more stable than milled seed for long storage.
Growing Season
- Plant
- early spring – late spring
- Harvest
- mid-summer – late summer
- Frost-free days
- 90+
- GDD (base 50°F)
- 1,400 – 1,700
Yield
- Typical yield
- 22 bu/acre
- Productive lifespan
- 1 years
- Labor
- 6 hrs/acre
Market Fit
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Climate Fit
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Soil Compatibility
Soil Texture
Drainage
Infrastructure Fit
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Finance Fit
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Risk Fit
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Risk data for this crop is being collected. Check back soon.
Nutritional Yield
Nutrition data pending.
Research agents will profile Flax (Oilseed) against USDA FoodData Central on the next maintenance pass. Per-acre nutritional yield will appear here once the per-100g panel is recorded.
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem service data pending.
The next research-agent rotation will document this crop's contributions to pollinator support, soil health, water quality, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.
Nearby Buyers
Data Sources
Every data point on this page is traceable to its source. Below you'll find the complete provenance trail — which sources were used, when data was last verified, and a full change history.
Primary sources: Data sourced from USDA Agricultural Marketing Resource Center (AgMRC) Flax commodity profile — https://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/grains-oilseeds/flax — North Dakota State University Extension "Flax Production in North Dakota" (A-1038) — https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/ag-hub/publications/flax-production-north-dakota — and USDA NASS Crop Production reports for oilseed-flax acreage, yield, and value. Agronomic timing and disease pressure cross-referenced with University of Minnesota Extension small-grain pages.
8 tracked changes across 1 data category