Phacelia malvifolia
Stinging phacelia
(c) Garth Harwood, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Phacelia malvifolia (Stinging phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by Tall coastal annual; stinging bulb-based bristles + broad mallow-like leaves.
Stinging phacelia is a California native annual found in coastal and mountain habitats at elevations up to 1,800 meters. Flowering from spring to summer, this plant produces cream-white flowers with widely bell-shaped corollas in small clusters, typically 3 to 7 millimeters long. Growing with erect stems 20 to 100 centimeters tall, densely covered in white to yellow stiff hairs that have distinctive bulb-based attachments. Its leaves are variable, ranging from 20 to 140 millimeters long, with lower leaves often deeply lobed or compound and having three segments that are irregularly toothed or divided. The plant produces small spherical fruits 2 to 3 millimeters in diameter, each containing up to 12 pitted seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Tall coastal annual; stinging bulb-based bristles + broad mallow-like leaves
Habitat and range
California counties: Monterey, Marin, San Mateo, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Mendocino, San Luis Obispo, Alameda, Humboldt, San Benito, Del Norte, Sonoma
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 malvifolia native to California?
Yes. Phacelia malvifolia is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Phacelia malvifolia grow?
Phacelia malvifolia occurs in Monterey, Marin, San Mateo, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Mendocino, San Luis Obispo, Alameda and other counties.
What plant family does Phacelia malvifolia belong to?
Phacelia malvifolia 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.