Flax linseed oil, a product used as a nutritional supplement and as an ingredient in many wood-finishing products. Flax is also grown as an ornamental plant in gardens. Moreover, flax fibers are used to make linen. The Latin name of the species, "usitatissimum," means "most useful". Flax fibers taken from the stem of the plant are two to three times as strong as cotton fibers. Additionally, flax fibers are naturally smooth and straight. Europe and North America both depended on flax for plant-based cloth until the 19th century, when cotton overtook flax as the most common plant for making rag-based paper.
Flax production in Nepal Flax production in Nepal The production of flax ("Linum usitatissimum") and other oilseed crops peak in the temperate climates of the middle mountain and hill farming regions in Nepal. Flax matures in approximately 90 to 125 days and develops most rapidly under the cool, short season of growing. The middle hill region of the Lamjung district (the epicenter of the earthquake devastating Nepal in April 2015) exemplifies an ideal climate for flax production experiencing consistently cool temperatures for most of the year. The shallow rooting system makes the plant especially susceptible to drought and excess moisture in the soil but