This document provides information about Sticky Phacelia, a native California wildflower. It is an annual herbaceous plant that grows 1-2 feet tall and wide, covered in sticky hairs. It blooms from late spring with bright blue flowers and produces many tiny seeds. Sticky Phacelia grows well in part shade and various soil types, requiring good moisture while blooming. It is a low maintenance plant that easily reseeds and attracts pollinators like bees.

1. Sticky Phacelia – Phacelia viscida
(fa-SEEL-ee-uh vis-KID-uh)
Family: Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf Family)
Native to: California from Monterey Co. to Baja; open spaces near the coast in coastal shrublands,
coastal sage scrub, chaparral, below 2000 ft elevation.
Growth characteristics: herbaceous annual wildflower mature height: 1-2 ft. mature width: 1-2 ft.
Branching shrubby annual wildflower with rounded oval leaves. Foliage bright green, sometimes
touched with red. Entire plant covered with sticky hairs (hence the common name). Note: Bristly
hairs of all Phacelia may cause dermatitis (rash) in susceptible persons.
Usually blooms in late spring in our area (April-June). Flowers are a wonderful
bright blue with lighter blue or white centers. Very showy, prolific and long-blooming.
Like all
Phacelias, flowers open sequentially along the flowering stems. Produces many tiny seeds in hairy
capsules.
Blooms/fruits:
Lovely addition to mixed beds or massed as an annual groundcover. Good
colorful choice for part-shade conditions under trees. Very lovely & quaint-looking. Does well in
large pots or planters. Reliable reseeder if it’s happy. ‘Tropical Surf’ cultivar is very low-growing.
Uses in the garden:
Sensible substitute for: Non-native blue spring annuals.
Attracts: great pollinator plant, particularly for a variety of native bees.
Birds eat seeds.
Requirements:
Element
Sun
Soil
Water
Fertilizer
Other
Requirement
Part-shade is best
Any local soil; may be slightly easier to grow in clay soils.
Need good moisture during growth period (spring); occasional deep watering (Zone
2) may prolong bloom period. Needs dry period for proper seed development.
Fine with occasional, ½ strength fertilizer (1-2 times per season)
Management:
Easy to grow.
Reseeds on bare ground.
Propagation: from seed: sow in prepared beds or pots from fall to spring. Easy.
Collect dry seed
by shaking capsules into a paper bag.
Plant/seed sources (see list for source numbers): 2, 8, 11, 19, 46
12/12/10
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