Phacelia cookei
Cooke's phacelia
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1
Phacelia cookei (Cooke's phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by Mount Shasta location and tiny hidden flowers diagnostic.
Cooke's phacelia is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native annual found in northern California Ranges around Mount Shasta in open volcanic and sandy scrub areas at elevations of 1,300 to 1,700 meters. Flowering from June to July, this delicate plant produces small white flowers with lavender veins, nestled partly within its leaves. Growing with prostrate to ascending stems 2 to 15 centimeters tall, it branches at the base and remains low to the ground. Its leaves are generally elliptic, approximately 10 to 20 millimeters long, with proximal and distal leaves of similar size. The tiny fruits are ovoid, 2 to 3 millimeters long, and lightly covered with short hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 18 sympatric species; Mount Shasta location and tiny hidden flowers diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open areas, volcanic, sandy soils, scrub
Elevation: 1300-1700 m
Bloom period
Phacelia cookei blooms Jun-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.1
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 cookei native to California?
Yes. Phacelia cookei is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Phacelia cookei bloom?
Phacelia cookei blooms Jun-Jul.
What plant family does Phacelia cookei belong to?
Phacelia cookei is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
Is Phacelia cookei rare or endangered?
Phacelia cookei carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.1, state rank S1.
What habitat does Phacelia cookei grow in?
Phacelia cookei grows in Open areas, volcanic, sandy soils, scrub.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Phacelia corymbosa — Serpentine phacelia
- Phacelia crenulata — Cleftleaf wildheliotrope
- Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua — Heliotrope phacelia
- Phacelia crenulata var. crenulata — Cleftleaf wildheliotrope
- Phacelia crenulata var. minutiflora — Cleftleaf wildheliotrope
- Phacelia cryptantha — Hiddenflower phacelia
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.