Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua
Heliotrope phacelia
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua (Heliotrope phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by unequal stamen exsertion diagnostic.
Heliotrope phacelia is a California native annual found in Desert bioregion in sandy to gravelly washes and slopes at elevations below 1,600 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces purple flowers 5 to 10 millimeters long with distinctive stamens of unequal lengths extending beyond the petals. Growing with stems densely covered in stiff hairs, especially toward the upper portions, it has a delicate and somewhat bristly appearance. Its leaves are textured with stiff hairs, creating a rough surface that helps distinguish this small but striking desert annual. The fruit is small and spherical, approximately 3 to 3.5 millimeters in diameter.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 38 sympatric species - unequal stamen exsertion diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy to gravelly washes, slopes
Elevation: < 1600 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, Inyo, Tulare, Imperial, Kern, San Diego
Outside California: to southwestern Utah, New Mexico, northwestern Mexico
Bloom period
Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua blooms Mar-May.
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 var. ambigua native to California?
Yes. Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua bloom?
Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua grow?
Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua occurs in San Bernardino, Riverside, Inyo, Tulare, Imperial, Kern, San Diego, at elevations of < 1600 m.
What plant family does Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua belong to?
Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
What habitat does Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua grow in?
Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua grows in Sandy to gravelly washes, slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.