Phacelia insularis
Coast phacelia
(c) Adam J. Searcy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Phacelia insularis (Coast phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by Small coastal/n-Channel-Island annual; dune & bluff habitat near-diagnostic.
Coast phacelia is a California native annual found in coastal regions in open, sandy or rocky habitats. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces lavender to violet flowers in delicate clusters with short stems. Growing 5 to 30 centimeters tall with few-branched stems covered in short, stiff hairs, it has a distinctive appearance in coastal landscapes. Its leaves vary from entire to deeply lobed, with proximal leaves having unequal lobes and typically measuring 10 to 80 millimeters long. The fruit is an obovoid structure 6 to 9 millimeters long, containing 8 to 15 pitted seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Small coastal/n-Channel-Island annual; dune & bluff habitat near-diagnostic
Habitat and range
California counties: Santa Barbara
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 insularis native to California?
Yes. Phacelia insularis is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Phacelia insularis grow?
Phacelia insularis occurs in Santa Barbara.
What plant family does Phacelia insularis belong to?
Phacelia insularis is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
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.