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Phacelia campanularia (Desertbells)
Bodger, Jack B.

Phacelia campanularia Gray

Desertbells, Blue bells, Desert Canterbury bells

Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf Family)

USDA Symbol: PHCA3

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

An 8-16 in. annual with 1 in. wide, bell-shaped, deep-blue flowers. The flowers, with protruding golden anthers, are arranged in rolled, 1-sided racemes; the raceme unrolling as the flowers open. A stiff, erect, leafy, glandular-hairy plant with dark blue, bell-like flowers in loose coils at end of a branched open cluster. Leaves are round to oval; both they and the reddish stems are covered with fine hairs.

In a spring following a wet winter, thousands of these plants will bloom, forming masses of deep rich blue. The similar California Bell (P. minor), found in southern California and northern Baja California, has a violet corolla with a cream spot on each lobe, the opening slightly constricted, and hair on the expanded stamen bases.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Fruit:
Size Class: 0-1 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Blue
Bloom Time: Feb , Mar , Apr

Distribution

USA: CA , NY
Native Distribution: Deserts of s. CA
Native Habitat: Dry, sandy places below 4000 ft.
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(I)

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
Soil Description: Well-drained, sandy or gravelly soil.
Conditions Comments: Hairs on the stems and leaves give some people a mild rash.

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Description: Sow seeds in late summer or early fall. Sow on top of soil as light is needed for germination.
Seed Collection: Not Available
Seed Treatment: No special treatment is necessary.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Bibliography

Bibref 995 - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Phacelia campanularia in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Phacelia campanularia in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Phacelia campanularia

Metadata

Record Modified: 2012-06-18
Research By: TWC Staff

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