Annual Flax is Linum grandiflorum var. rubrum, with brilliant red flowers. There are other species with sky-blue flowers. Do not have an answer to your question about crossing an annual with a perennial. Have wondered this myself with reference to Abutilon: could one increase cold-hardiness in some of the tender hybrids by crossing with Abutilon vitifolium? Hope someone on this Forum has an answer to your question.

John

Don't know about flax or perennials. But...
annual broccoli crossed with biennial kale or kholrabi, produces a very late flowering annual. They flower in the fall, but have to be brought inside (here in the northeast) for seedpods to mature.
I have transfered hardiness to an annual flowering kale/kholrabi/broccoli derivative. Grew an inch here in Nov. and was still flowering two weeks ago when I finally brought it in to the greenhouse. All others had frozen weeks before, we have had some very cold nights into the teens and single digits!

The hardy blanket flowers (Gaillardia x 'Goblin' or 'Burgundy') common on the market are hybrids of annual x perennial. I'm sure some of your offspring will be hardy, others not so hardy. Keep in mind traits can have shared genes, hardiness can be directly linked to color.

I can answer the abutilon question: A. vitifolium will not cross with the hybrida types. Abutilon is a very large genus with species throughout the old and new world. We even have a California native abutilon with beautiful silvery leaves. To what degree other species will cross with the hybrida types or the vitifolium types I don't know--but I have always wondered. Many of the abutilons are self-pollinating, whereas the hybrida types are self-sterile. The species megapotanicum is somewhat hardier than the typical hybrid types and does breed with them, making hybrids that can withstand some frost.

Hi, Jon

I'm Still playing at hydidizing abutilons. You gave me some great info on beginning hybridizing A's. I started with a shrubby white abutilon and crossed it with what I thought was Kentish Belle ( I believe now it was a Victor Reiter (sp). The F1's varied in height from 8" to 4', the foliage had more of the Victor Reiter characteristics, and the flower color ranged from cream/yellows/white to pale cerise, some with darker veining. The flower shape was more like the white shrubby parent ( 2-3" and fairly flat).

I crossed these F1's with the best of each other, with a coral colored Bella, two other purchased un-named bright yellows and also back to the Victor Reiter. Some of these seedlings are just beginning to sprout. I am also growing a seedling provided from a trade ( pink changing to mauve )which was open pollinated so goodness knows what surprise that will bring.

It won't be for several months to see what comes of these crosses. Hopefully something good. I would also like to try crossing a Souviner de Bonn with my seedlings this summer :-)

Jon what is the name of the California native abutilon with beautiful silvery leaves that you mention?

Aker