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Rock Phacelia
Phacelia californica
  
26 Nurseries Carry This Plant

About Rock Phacelia (Phacelia californica) 26 Nurseries Carry This Plant Phacelia californica is a species of phacelia known by the common names California phacelia and California scorpionweed. It is native to coastal northern California and Oregon, where it grows in chaparral, woodland, and coastal bluffs and grassland. It is a perennial herb growing decumbent or erect, its branching stems reaching up to 90 centimeters long. It is roughly hairy in texture. The leaves are up to 20 centimeters long, the lower ones divided into several leaflets. The dense, hairy flower cluster is a one-sided curving or coiling cyme of many bell-shaped flowers. Each white or pale blue to lavender flower is under a centimeter wide. This native wildflower is a food source for the Mission blue butterfly, an endangered species endemic to San Francisco.

It should be noted that there are a very large number of species in the genus Phacelia. Most are annuals. Gardeners should look for species appropriate to their area and garden conditions.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Plant Type
Annual herb, Perennial herb

Size
Size
0.5 - 1.5 ft tall
1 - 2 ft wide

Form
Form
Spreading

Growth Rate
Growth Rate
Fast

Dormancy
Dormancy
Evergreen, Summer Deciduous

Flower Color
Flower Color
Lavender, White

Flowering Season
Flowering Season
Spring, Summer

Wildlife Supported
 
Butterflies, native bees and other pollinators. In particular, this plant is a native wildflower is a food source for the Mission blue butterfly, an endangered species endemic to San Francisco.

 
Butterflies & moths hosted ( 3 confirmed , 8 likely * ) SHOW ALL
Oidaematophorus phaceliae Image
Oidaematophorus phaceliaeOidaematophorus phaceliae
Clepsis fucana Image
Clepsis fucanaClepsis fucana
Sparganothis senecionana Image
Sparganothis senecionanaSparganothis senecionana
*
Megalographa biloba Image
Bilobed Looper Moth Megalographa bilobaMegalographa biloba
*
Amblyptilia pica Image
Geranium Plume Moth Amblyptilia picaAmblyptilia pica
*
Argyrotaenia franciscana Image
Orange Tortrix Moth Argyrotaenia franciscanaArgyrotaenia franciscana
*
Areniscythris brachypteris Image
Oso Flaco Flightless Moth Areniscythris brachypterisAreniscythris brachypteris

Landscaping Information
Sun
Sun
Full Sun, Part Shade

Moisture
Moisture
Very Low

Summer Irrigation
Summer Irrigation
Never irrigate once established

Nurseries
Nurseries
Carried by 26

Ease of Care
Ease of Care
Moderately Easy

Cold Tolerance
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to 15° F

Soil Drainage
Soil Drainage
Fast

Soil Description
Soil Description
Adaptable, well draining. Soil PH: 5.0 - 7.0

Common uses
Common uses
Butterfly Gardens, Bee Gardens

Companion Plants
Companion Plants
Blue Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium bellum), Foothill Penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus), Checker Bloom (Sidalcea malviflora), Blue Dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum), California Goldenrod (Solidago velutina ssp. californica), Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea)

Sunset Zones
Sunset Zones?
7, 14, 15*, 16*, 17*

Natural Setting
Site Type
Site Type
Bluffs, open slopes

Climate
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 17.8" - 68.2", Summer Precipitation: 0.15" - 3.59", Coldest Month: 28.5" - 51.6", Hottest Month: 53.6" - 76.2", Humidity: 0.10" - 22.78", Elevation: 7" - 9246"

Alternative Names
Common Names: California Phacelia, California Scorpionweed


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Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links:   Jepson eFlora Taxon Page  CalPhotos  Wikipedia  Calflora


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