Linum usitatissimum Flax
Because humans have been growing flax for so long--at
least since ancient Egypt--this herb has an enormous amount of magic
associated with it. It is dedicated to the goddess Hulda, who taught
humans how to spin. At American wedding celebrations, people
would kick up their feet as high as they could in order to help
the host's flax grow taller. A lot of flax magic is connected to
date or time. For instance, in New England, women danced in the
sun on Candlemas in order to make the flax grow well. In Romania,
it was considered bad luck to work with flax on a Friday, as Mother
Friday (Frigg) ruled spinning and weaving and would be offended;
in Wexford County, Ireland, people thought it very bad luck to spin
flax on Saturday afternoon or the eve of a holiday. And in
Belgium, women did not spin on Shrove Tuesday in order to prevent
the flax crop from failing. In Germany, the distaff was dressed
with tow on New Year's Day, but it could not be spun there or the
year's spinning would not go well. In West Scotland, on Halloween,
bundles of flax, broom, and
heath were tied to a pole and lit, to be run around the village
as protection. Knotwork magic with flax cords goes back at least
to Roman days. Flax seeds are often used as a symbol for money in
charms, such as putting flax seeds in one's wallet to increase wealth,
or in one's shoe to protect against poverty. Because of its connection
to Frigg and Hulda and its use in poulticing, this is a Venus
herb.
Flax
has been grown since ancient times, its fiber spun into linen, cords,
and lamp wicks, and its seeds pressed for oil and the meal fed to
animals. Because the seeds produce a glue-like substance when wet,
flax seeds have often been used as a poultice in folk medicine the
world over.
This variety of flax has been bred especially for seed production
and so branches more than flax grown for fibers. Each flower forms a capsule
containing 4-10 seeds.
How to Grow Flax
Sow in the ground in spring, barely covering seed and gently pressing in 1/2"/1cm
deep and 1/2-1"/1-4cm apart in an area with full sun. If you plant
too close, plants won't make as many seeds (fiber flax is planted
closer to reduce seeding and make straighter stalks); too far apart,
and weeds will be more of a problem. If soil is sopping, wait till
it dries out a bit, or the seed will rot before it germinates. This
is a hardy seedling, able to stand temps down to 28F/2C. It takes 95-100
days for this plant to get to harvest stage, when most of the seed
capsules are brown. Pull off the seed capsules and crush to release
the seeds. This plant gets 30-36"/75-90cm tall. Don't grow it in the
same spot every year; rotate it for better plant health and soil
fertility--this is a hungry plant. Bugs don't usually bother flax.
General
growing info
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Linum usitatissimum Organic Omega Flax 200 seeds $3.50
Uses in
Witchcraft & Magic:
Honoring Hulda & Frigg Money Charms Venus Herb
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