Unusual crop

[Sue Balou]

On the London side of the M25, between J7 and J8, there is a field planted with a crop. Whatever it is has a green stem and then bluey-mauve flowers. The field quite large and stretches up the side of a hill and the bluey-mauve flowers look really unusual.

Anyone know what crop this might be?

[Clanad]

Hard to say, of course, but bluish flowers this time of growing season on 10 to 14 inch green stems sounds like flax... Look here to compare:

http://www.wildflowers-and-weeds.com/Plant_Families/Linaceae.htm

[Sue Balou]

That looks the right colour. It certainly beats the yellow rape seed oil crops which always look unnaturally bright.

[Gooner_Badge]

I was driving past that exact stretch last week and was thinking exactly the same!!!!!!!!

Now I know ... Nice one. ;0)

[mongos bird]

Sounds like linseed, part of the flax family.

[greenfingers]

Could be Linseed or Lupins both bluey - mauve and both grown commercially.Lupins would be the taller of the two about two to three feet.

[Hgrove]

I drove past it yesterday.  My friend thought it was lavender.

[Dom Tuk]

I would say Lavender. There are a few farmers in South of england who grow lavender as a crop form its oil. Its also the right time to flower.

[docwatto]

At hat height it's unlikely to be lupins.  If it's bushy and a darkish blue then could be borage - this is an increasingly popular crop for the oil that can be xtracted from it.