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Phacelia ramosissima

branching phacelia

Boraginaceae Western North America

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Drought Tolerant

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 7–10

Overview

Phacelia ramosissima is a sprawling perennial herb in the borage family (Boraginaceae), with branched, often reclining stems 1-3 feet (30-90 cm) long that arise from a woody base. The stems and deeply cut, fern-like leaves are coated in stiff, often glandular hairs that make the plant feel rough and sticky; these hairs can irritate sensitive skin on contact. The leaves are 2-6 inches (5-15 cm) long and divided into toothed segments. Flowers are borne in tightly coiled clusters that uncurl as the buds open, a form typical of the genus, and range from dull white to pale lavender or violet, each about 0.2-0.3 inch (5-8 mm) wide with stamens that project beyond the petals. Blooming from spring into summer, the flowers draw many bees and other insects. P. ramosissima grows on dry slopes, coastal bluffs, canyon bottoms, and disturbed ground through much of western North America. It tolerates heat and drought but can look ragged and dry out by late summer. The sprawling, hairy habit makes it better suited to wild and informal plantings than to tidy borders.

Native Range

Native to western North America, from British Columbia south through California and east to Idaho, Utah, and Arizona. It grows on dry slopes, coastal bluffs, canyon floors, streambanks, and disturbed open ground from the coast to mid elevations in the mountains.

Suggested Uses

Grown in native, pollinator, and habitat gardens and in dry-slope and roadside restoration across the West. The flowers support a wide range of native bees and other insects. Its sprawling, sticky habit suits naturalized plantings rather than formal beds or high-traffic edges.

How to Identify

Recognized by its sprawling, much-branched stems and deeply divided, fern-like leaves covered in stiff, glandular hairs. The flowers sit in coiled, one-sided clusters that straighten as they open, ranging from dull white to pale lavender with stamens that stick out past the petals. The plant feels rough and sticky to the touch. Its branching, reclining habit separates it from the more compact annual phacelias.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 3'

Width/Spread1' - 3'

Colors

Flower Colors

white

purple

Foliage Colors

green

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~14 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowers open from spring into mid-summer, mainly April through July, with the coiled clusters unrolling progressively so new flowers continue over many weeks. Bloom is heaviest after a wet spring. Flowering tapers as the soil dries in summer.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

dull white to pale lavender

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 5-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand loam rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Phacelia ramosissima grows in full sun to part sun on dry, well-drained sandy, loamy, or rocky soils with a pH near 6.0 to 7.5. It is drought tolerant once established and needs little or no summer water in its native range. Excess water and rich soil produce weak, floppy growth. It is hardy in roughly USDA zones 7 to 10 and may behave as a short-lived perennial or reseed where winters are cold. The glandular foliage can cause skin irritation, so it is handled with bare contact limited. Plants can be cut back after bloom to refresh foliage.

Pruning

Cutting the plant back after the main bloom can remove ragged, drying stems and may prompt a flush of fresh growth. Spent stems are trimmed in late summer or fall. Seed heads can be left to allow self-sowing or removed to limit it.