Phacelia douglasii
Douglas' phacelia
(c) Cricket Raspet, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Cricket Raspet · licence
Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Phacelia douglasii (Douglas' phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by wide bell-shaped flowers with broad limb, many tiny seeds diagnostic.
Douglas' phacelia is a California native annual herb found in southern Sierra Nevada foothills, Tehama County, southern Sacramento Valley, San Joaquin Valley, Central Western California, southern California coast, southern Channel Islands, western Transverse Ranges, San Gabriel Mountains, and western Mojave Desert in open, generally sandy areas at elevations below 1,700 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces light blue to purple flowers in widely bell-shaped corollas 6 to 12 millimeters long with limbs 8 to 20 millimeters in diameter. Growing with spreading to erect stems 6 to 40 centimeters tall that are branched at the base and covered in short hairs, it has a delicate, open structure. Its leaves are deeply lobed to compound, measuring 5 to 80 millimeters long, with oblanceolate to ovate blades featuring rounded to obtuse segments. The fruit is a small, short-hairy ovoid structure 5 to 7 millimeters long containing 8 to 20 tiny pitted seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 79 sympatric species - wide bell-shaped flowers with broad limb, many tiny seeds diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, generally sandy areas
Elevation: < 1700 m
California counties: Kern, Los Angeles, Ventura, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, Santa Cruz, Fresno, San Francisco, Contra Costa, San Bernardino, Alameda, Riverside, Orange, San Diego, San Benito, Merced, Madera, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Kings, Sutter, Inyo, Santa Clara
Bloom period
Phacelia douglasii 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 douglasii native to California?
Yes. Phacelia douglasii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Phacelia douglasii bloom?
Phacelia douglasii blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Phacelia douglasii grow?
Phacelia douglasii occurs in Kern, Los Angeles, Ventura, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, Santa Cruz and other counties, at elevations of < 1700 m.
What plant family does Phacelia douglasii belong to?
Phacelia douglasii is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
What habitat does Phacelia douglasii grow in?
Phacelia douglasii grows in Open, generally sandy areas.
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.