Phacelia sericea
silky phacelia
Attracts PollinatorsAttracts ButterfliesDeer ResistantDrought TolerantContainer Friendly
Native to North America
Overview
Phacelia sericea is a clump-forming perennial of the borage family, reaching 4-16 inches (10-40 cm) tall, with silvery, silky-haired foliage. The leaves are pinnately dissected into narrow segments, mostly in a basal cluster, 1-4 inches (2.5-10 cm) long, and coated in dense silky hairs that give a gray-silver sheen. Flowering stems carry dense, cylindrical spike-like clusters 2-6 inches (5-15 cm) long packed with small purple to violet-blue flowers. The stamens project well beyond the petals, giving each spike a fuzzy, bottlebrush texture. Bloom occurs through the summer months. The species grows on dry, rocky slopes, gravel, talus, and open ridges at montane to alpine elevations across western North America. It needs sharp drainage, cool summers, and full sun, and is short-lived, often grown as a biennial or short-lived perennial at lower elevations where summers are warm. Seeds form in small capsules. The flowers draw bumblebees and other mountain pollinators.
Native Range
Phacelia sericea is native to the mountains of western North America, from Alaska and British Columbia south through the Rocky Mountains to New Mexico and west to the Sierra Nevada. It grows on rocky slopes, gravelly flats, talus, and open ridges at montane, subalpine, and alpine elevations.Suggested Uses
Used in rock gardens, alpine troughs, scree beds, and gravel gardens in cool-summer regions. The silver foliage and blue spikes suit high-drainage plantings among stone. It performs poorly in hot, humid lowland gardens.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height4" - 1'4"
Width/Spread6" - 10"
Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years
Colors
Bloom Information
Purple-blue spikes open from June through August, later at higher elevations. Each spike flowers from the base upward over two to three weeks. Seed capsules ripen in late summer.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
purple to violet-blueFoliage Description
silver-grayGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 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
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun with six or more hours of direct light and cool summer temperatures. Sharp drainage is essential, with gritty, gravelly, or sandy soils of low fertility suiting it, while wet or heavy soil causes rot. Once established it is drought-tolerant and needs little supplemental water. The plant is short-lived, particularly in hot-summer climates, and renews itself from seed. Fresh seed given winter cold stratification germinates in spring. Rich soil and excess water shorten its already brief life.Pruning
Pruning is minimal. Faded flower spikes can be removed after bloom, though some are left to set seed for renewal. Dead foliage is cleared as short-lived plants decline.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
summerfall
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons