# Lacy phacelia (*Phacelia tanacetifolia*) Lacy phacelia is a beautiful flower with delicate, fern-like leaves and lovely purple blooms. It attracts bees and butterflies, making gardens colorful and lively! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 11 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Lacy phacelia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Phacelia_tanacetifolia_2_2003-04-07.jpg&width=800) Photo: Copyright by Curtis Clark, licensed as noted, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phacelia_tanacetifolia_2_2003-04-07.jpg) ## Appearance The Lacy phacelia has fern-like, deeply cut green leaves on hairy stems. Its vibrant purple-blue flowers unfurl in a distinctive, curled cluster that resembles a fiddlehead or a scorpion's tail, creating a visually striking display. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Boraginales - **Family:** Hydrophyllaceae - **Genus:** Phacelia ## Interesting facts - Farmers often plant it to naturally "recharge" soil and make future crops grow stronger! - If you visit a field of lacy phacelia, you'll hear a buzzing symphony of happy bees! - Its flower stalk unfurls slowly, looking just like the coiled head of a violin! - This amazing plant helps prevent dirt from washing away in the rain or wind! ## Special abilities - **Pollinator Powerhouse:** Lacy phacelia has incredibly nectar-rich flowers that help it attract a huge variety of buzzing bees and other beneficial insects. - **Soil Superhero:** Lacy phacelia has deep roots that help it loosen soil, prevent erosion, and add organic matter to make the ground healthier. - **Nitrogen Ninja:** Lacy phacelia can absorb excess nitrogen from the soil, preventing it from washing away and keeping the environment cleaner. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 20-100 cm - **Spread:** 15-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring-early_summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects abundant nectar and pollen. - **Pollinates:** Western bumble bee (*Bombus vosnesenskii*) — Important native pollinator for flowers. - **Eaten by:** [Mule deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Young plants are sometimes browsed by deer. - **Pollinates:** [Monarch butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Nectars from flowers during migration. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second. - [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. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [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. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't pick flowers unless an adult says it's okay. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Lacy 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 Lacy phacelia? 20-100 cm ### How wide does Lacy phacelia spread? 15-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on Lacy phacelia? 0.5-1 cm ### When does Lacy phacelia bloom? Spring-early_summer ### Is Lacy phacelia edible? No ### Is Lacy phacelia toxic? None ### What is Lacy phacelia's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve State Natural Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/antelope-valley-california-poppy-reserve-state-natural-reserve) — California, US · State Park - [Arnold Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arnold-arboretum) — Massachusetts, US · Botanical Garden - [Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arrowmont-school-of-arts-and-crafts) — Tennessee, US · Campus - [Rainbow Basin](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rainbow-basin) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Rodman Mountains](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rodman-mountains) — California, US · Natural Landmark - [Theater District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/theater-district) — California, US · Historic District [View all places to see Lacy phacelia](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/lacy-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: [Lacy phacelia: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lacy-phacelia)