Phacelia hubbyi
Hubby's phacelia
(c) Casey H. Richart, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Phacelia hubbyi (Hubby's phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by dense flowers, long wavy inflorescence hairs, gray shaggy calyx diagnostic.
Hubby's phacelia is a California native annual found in northern Santa Cruz Island, northern Southern California Coast, and Western Transverse Ranges on open gravelly or rocky slopes, chaparral, and grassland at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces lavender flowers in dense clusters with bell-shaped corollas 8 to 12 millimeters long. Growing with ascending to erect stems 18 to 60 centimeters tall, covered in stiff and glandular hairs, it forms a slender, often branched habit. Its leaves are deeply lobed to compound, 20 to 150 millimeters long, with ovate to oblong blades that have toothed segments. The fruit is small, approximately 3 to 4 millimeters wide, with wavy hairs and containing 2 to 4 pitted seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 33 sympatric species - dense flowers, long wavy inflorescence hairs, gray shaggy calyx diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Generally open gravelly or rocky slopes, chaparral, grassland
Elevation: < 1000 m
California counties: Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Orange, Alameda
Bloom period
Phacelia hubbyi blooms Apr-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
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 hubbyi native to California?
Yes. Phacelia hubbyi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Phacelia hubbyi bloom?
Phacelia hubbyi blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Phacelia hubbyi grow?
Phacelia hubbyi occurs in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Orange, Alameda, at elevations of < 1000 m.
What plant family does Phacelia hubbyi belong to?
Phacelia hubbyi is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
Is Phacelia hubbyi rare or endangered?
Phacelia hubbyi carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2, state rank S4.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.