Phacelia crenulata
Cleftleaf wildheliotrope
(c) Eric Knight, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Eric Knight · licence
Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Phacelia crenulata (Cleftleaf wildheliotrope) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by white tube with purple throat and corrugated seed ridges diagnostic.
Cleftleaf wildheliotrope is a California native annual found in rocky and open habitats across desert and mountain regions at elevations ranging from low to moderate elevations. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces white to purple flowers with a bell-shaped corolla and distinctive white tube transitioning to purple throat. Growing with erect, stiff-hairy stems 20 to 80 centimeters tall that are aromatic and sparingly branched, the plant has a distinctive appearance. Its leaves are oblong to elliptic, 20 to 80 millimeters long, with crenate or deeply lobed margins that become progressively smaller toward the stem's upper portion. The fruit is small, ovoid to spheric, and produces generally four seeds with finely textured surfaces.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 50 sympatric species; white tube with purple throat and corrugated seed ridges diagnostic
Habitat and range
California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Riverside, San Diego, Imperial, Kern, Ventura, Mono
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 crenulata native to California?
Yes. Phacelia crenulata is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Phacelia crenulata grow?
Phacelia crenulata occurs in San Bernardino, Inyo, Riverside, San Diego, Imperial, Kern, Ventura, Mono.
What plant family does Phacelia crenulata belong to?
Phacelia crenulata is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua — Heliotrope phacelia
- Phacelia crenulata var. crenulata — Cleftleaf wildheliotrope
- Phacelia crenulata var. minutiflora — Cleftleaf wildheliotrope
- Phacelia cryptantha — Hiddenflower phacelia
- Phacelia curvipes — Washoe phacelia
- Phacelia damnationensis — Damnation pass phacelia
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · 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.