Phacelias

Phacelias refers collectively to the species within the genus Phacelia, a group of flowering plants in the borage family Boraginaceae. The genus comprises roughly 150 to 200 species and is predominantly native to western North America, with some species extending into Mexico and, through introductions, into parts of the Mediterranean region. In older classifications, Phacelia was placed in Hydrophyllaceae, but modern systems place it in Boraginaceae.

Most Phacelia species are annuals or short-lived perennials. They are typically herbaceous, with branched, often hairy stems and leaves that are variably lobed. The inflorescences are slender, coiled panicles or racemes known as scorpioid panicles that unfurl as flowers mature. Flowers are tubular with five lobes and are commonly blue to purple, though white, pink, or yellow forms occur in cultivated varieties.

Ecology and cultivation notes indicate that Phacelias are attractive to a wide range of pollinators, especially bees, making them popular in wildflower gardens and pollinator plantings. Several species are cultivated as cover crops to improve soil structure and suppress weeds, and they often reseed readily. They prefer well-drained soil and full sun and are generally drought-tolerant.

Notable species include Phacelia tanacetifolia (fernleaf phacelia), widely grown as a pollinator-friendly cover crop, and Phacelia distans (distans phacelia). Some Phacelia species can become weedy outside their native ranges, so local guidelines should be consulted when introducing them.