Flax is cultivated for its fibers, the primary material used to make linen.
Flax is the common name for Linum usitatissimum, an annual flowering plant grown for both fiber and seed. The long fibers lie beneath the outer stem and are extracted through processes including retting, breaking, and scutching.
Linen made from flax is one of the oldest known textiles. Archaeological evidence shows flax cultivation and linen production in ancient Egypt and the Near East. Flaxseed is also valuable: it supplies linseed oil and edible seeds rich in alpha-linolenic acid.
Flax is often confused with hemp because both produce strong plant fibers. They are different plants, however: hemp belongs to the genus Cannabis, while flax belongs to Linum. “Flax” usually refers to fiber flax, whereas “linseed” commonly refers to varieties grown mainly for oil or seed.