A flax flower lasts only briefly

An individual cultivated flax flower (*Linum usitatissimum*) usually opens in the morning, and its petals fall by or shortly after noon—so the flower itself may last only a few hours in clear, warm conditions. But a plant or field does not finish flowering in half a day: new flowers open in succession, and a crop’s flowering period can last about two weeks. Cloud cover and weather affect opening and duration.