Fibre Flax (Linum usitatissimum )
A sheaf of flax
Fibre flax are tall varieties with few branches, primarily grown for their fibres, which can be spun. It is sown densely (1200-2000 plants per square meter) so the plants will become tall and with few branches.
The plants are harvested by pulling them, not cutting. This is to preserve the entire length of the fibre and also to ensure even retting. The plants are dried and the seed is threshed. After this the stems are retted, broken, scutched and heckled to produce linen fibres.