# California phacelia (*Phacelia californica*) California phacelia is a pretty flower that grows in sunny places. It has lovely purple blooms that attract bees and butterflies, making it a favorite in gardens and nature. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![California phacelia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Phaceliacalifornica.jpg&width=800) Photo: tomhilton, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phaceliacalifornica.jpg) ## Appearance The California phacelia has tall, often branched stems with soft, hairy, gray-green leaves. Its striking purple-blue bell-shaped flowers grow in coiled clusters that unfurl as they bloom. Each flower features prominent stamens, giving them a fuzzy appearance. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Boraginales - **Family:** Hydrophyllaceae - **Genus:** Phacelia ## Interesting facts - California phacelia is a favorite nectar snack for many different kinds of native bees and butterflies! - Its spiral flower stalks look like a scorpion's tail, slowly uncurling as new flowers open! - Sometimes called 'scorpion weed,' but don't worry, it doesn't sting like a scorpion! - This plant can grow on rocky slopes, holding tight with its roots even in tough places! ## Special abilities - **Drought Defender:** California phacelia has fuzzy leaves and stems that help it conserve water, allowing it to thrive in dry, sunny environments. - **Coiled Bloom Strategy:** California phacelia develops flower clusters that uncoil over time, ensuring a continuous supply of fresh blooms for pollinators. - **Herbivore Deterrent:** California phacelia has fuzzy leaves and stems that deter some hungry animals from munching on them. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-100 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Yellow-faced bumble bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-faced-bumble-bee) (*Bombus vosnesenskii*) — visits its blooms for sweet nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen from its flowers - **Pollinates:** [Western Tiger Swallowtail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-tiger-swallowtail) (*Papilio rutulus*) — sips nectar from the numerous small flowers ## Traits - [Bell-Shaped Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/bell-shaped-flower): Bell-shaped flowers possess petals fused or arranged to form a cup-like or campanulate structure resembling a bell. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't pick flowers, so everyone can enjoy them! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify California phacelia? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is California phacelia? 30-100 cm ### How wide does California phacelia spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on California phacelia? 0.5-1 cm ### When does California phacelia bloom? Spring to early summer ### Is California phacelia edible? No ### Is California phacelia toxic? Mild ### What is California phacelia's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Forts Baker, Barry, and Cronkhite](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/forts-baker-barry-and-cronkhite) — California, US · Historic District - [Theater District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/theater-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/huckleberry-botanic-regional-preserve) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Milagra Ridge](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/milagra-ridge) — California, US · Park [View all places to see California phacelia](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/california-phacelia) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [California phacelia: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-phacelia)