Phacelia bolanderi
Bolander's phacelia
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Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Phacelia bolanderi (Bolander's phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by perennial habit and exserted purple stamens diagnostic.
Bolander's phacelia is a California native perennial found in northwestern California on bluffs, canyons, and slopes at elevations below 1,400 meters. Flowering from April to August, this plant produces pale blue to purple flowers 10 to 12 millimeters long with a brown throat, arranged in open panicle-like clusters. Growing with decumbent to ascending stems 12 to 100 centimeters tall, covered in stiff, appressed hairs and minute glands, it has a distinctively textured appearance. Its leaves are broadly oblong to ovate, 30 to 120 millimeters long, with coarsely toothed or two-lobed bases and sparse stiff hairs. The fruit is ovoid, 6 to 8 millimeters long, and contains 30 to 60 small pitted seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 34 sympatric species; perennial habit and exserted purple stamens diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Bluffs, canyons, slopes
Elevation: < 1400 m
Outside California: Oregon
Bloom period
Phacelia bolanderi blooms Apr-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Nemophila: Phacelia has flowers in coiled scorpion-tail clusters; Nemophila has solitary showy flowers at leaf axils.; vs Eucrypta: Phacelia is typically non-sticky with seeds that fall out cleanly; Eucrypta feels very sticky and retains 1-2 seeds in fruit.; vs Pholistoma: Phacelia has coiled flower clusters; Pholistoma has flowers scattered along stems with backward-pointing stem bristles.; vs Echium: Phacelia has coiled clusters of small flowers; Echium has large showy blue-purple flowers in tall spike-like clusters.; vs Gilia: Phacelia has coiled flower clusters and bristly foliage; Gilia has flowers in round heads or loose clusters with smoother foliage.
Frequently asked questions
Is Phacelia bolanderi native to California?
Yes. Phacelia bolanderi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Phacelia bolanderi bloom?
Phacelia bolanderi blooms Apr-Aug.
What plant family does Phacelia bolanderi belong to?
Phacelia bolanderi is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
What habitat does Phacelia bolanderi grow in?
Phacelia bolanderi grows in Bluffs, canyons, slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.