Phacelia procera
Tall phacelia
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Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Phacelia procera (Tall phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by tall perennial stature and net-like seed surface diagnostic.
Tall phacelia is a California native perennial herb found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, northern Sierra Nevada, and northern Sierra Nevada high country in meadows, slopes, talus, and conifer forests at elevations of 1,200 to 2,200 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces cream to green or brown-white flowers with a bell-shaped corolla in open, panicle-like clusters. Growing with erect, hairy stems 50 to 200 centimeters tall, it develops a robust and prominent presence in its mountain habitats. Its leaves are lanceolate to ovate, 50 to 120 millimeters long, with coarsely toothed or lobed edges and petioles less than 40 millimeters. The fruit is an ovoid, short-rough-hairy structure containing 12 to 16 angled seeds with a distinctive net-like, pitted surface.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 46 sympatric species; tall perennial stature and net-like seed surface diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Meadows, slopes, talus, conifer forest
Elevation: 1200-2200 m
California counties: Butte, Trinity, Placer, Siskiyou, Tehama, Plumas, Modoc, Shasta, Sierra, Mendocino, Humboldt, Lassen, Nevada, Glenn, Lake, Del Norte
Outside California: to Washington, Idaho
Bloom period
Phacelia procera blooms Jun-Aug.
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 procera native to California?
Yes. Phacelia procera is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Phacelia procera bloom?
Phacelia procera blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Phacelia procera grow?
Phacelia procera occurs in Butte, Trinity, Placer, Siskiyou, Tehama, Plumas, Modoc, Shasta and other counties, at elevations of 1200-2200 m.
What plant family does Phacelia procera belong to?
Phacelia procera is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
What habitat does Phacelia procera grow in?
Phacelia procera grows in Meadows, slopes, talus, conifer forest.
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.