Purple Phacelia Phacelia bipinnatifida
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- fa-SEE-lee-uh by-pin-uh-TIFF-ih-duh
- Description
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Purple phacelia is a biennial wildflower in the borage family (Boraginaceae) that is native to the southeast USA. It is common the mountains of NC and rare in the western Piedmont. The plant can be found in cool mountainous areas in rocky forests, along streams and slopes, especially in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
This wildflower will grow 1-3 feet tall and spread 1-3 feet wide. It prefers partial shade to shade to dappled shade conditions in moist well-drained acidic soil with some organic matter but will tolerate poorer soils and some alkalinity. Propagation is by seed but this plant will easily self-seed and seedlings can be transplanted to a desired area in spring. This plant doesn't bloom until the second year, then dies shortly after setting seed.
In early to late spring, purple phacelia produces masses of purple flowers in clusters of 4-12. Flowering lasts for about a month. The compound leaves are attractive also.
Use this plant as a ground cover in a shady to partly shady area and allow it plenty of room to spread. The flowers attract pollinators and provide early-season color for the shade.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. Leaves may be eaten by beetles
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Shaded Slope
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Phacelia
- Species:
- bipinnatifida
- Family:
- Boraginaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Biennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- South eastern USA
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , GA , IA , IL , IN , KY , MD , MO , MS , NC , OH , PA , SC , TN , VA , WV
- Wildlife Value:
- Members of the genus Phacelia support the following specialized bees: Andrena (Micrandrena) lamelliterga, Andrena (Euandrena) phaceliae, Hoplitis (Robertsonella) simplex.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Ground Cover
- Native Plant
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Spreading
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Capsules appear in June.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Saucer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Racemes of 4-12 blue to purple flowers are produced from April to May. Individual flowers are 1/2 incross with 5-lobed corolla, 5 sepals, 5 stamens, a slender style, and an ovary. The racemes occur at the top of stems with some secondary ones forming in the axils of the upper stems.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Velvety
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The compound leaves have 3-5 leaflets that are ovate to oblong, shallow to deeply cleft with toothed margins. Leaves are up to 5 inches long and 3 inches wide. Leaves and stems are hairy
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The light green stems are round and covered with spreading glandular hairs.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Heavy Shade
