Phacelia suaveolens
Sweet scented phacelia
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Trevor Van Loon · licence
Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Phacelia suaveolens (Sweet scented phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by sweet fragrance, yellow tube with purple lobes, and yellow pollen.
Sweet scented phacelia is a California native annual found in northern coastal, central Sierra Nevada foothills (Ione), San Francisco Bay, and south-central interior regions in open burns, slopes, chaparral, and closed-cone pine forest at elevations of 200 to 1,700 meters. Flowering from May to August, this aromatic plant produces lavender to purple flowers in narrowly bell-shaped corollas with yellow tube about 7 to 11 millimeters long. Growing 5 to 40 centimeters tall with ascending to erect stems that are simple or branched at the base and short-hairy, it has a delicate, open structure. Its leaves range 10 to 75 millimeters long, widely elliptic to ovate, with toothed or slightly lobed edges that contribute to its distinctive appearance. The small ovoid fruit measures 3 to 5 millimeters and contains 10 to 16 pitted seeds about 1 to 1.5 millimeters in size.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 37 sympatric species; distinguished by sweet fragrance, yellow tube with purple lobes, and yellow pollen
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Open burns, slopes, chaparral, closed-cone-pine forest
Elevation: 200-1700 m
California counties: Lake, Santa Clara, San Luis Obispo, Napa, Monterey, Contra Costa, Amador, Santa Cruz, Marin, Solano, Sonoma, Orange, Riverside
Bloom period
Phacelia suaveolens blooms May-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 suaveolens native to California?
Yes. Phacelia suaveolens is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Phacelia suaveolens bloom?
Phacelia suaveolens blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Phacelia suaveolens grow?
Phacelia suaveolens occurs in Lake, Santa Clara, San Luis Obispo, Napa, Monterey, Contra Costa, Amador, Santa Cruz and other counties, at elevations of 200-1700 m.
What plant family does Phacelia suaveolens belong to?
Phacelia suaveolens is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
What habitat does Phacelia suaveolens grow in?
Phacelia suaveolens grows in Uncommon. Open burns, slopes, chaparral, closed-cone-pine 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.