Silky Phacelia, Purple Fringe, Blue Alpine Phacelia
A magnificent plant for a dry rockery, Phacelia sericea (Silky Phacelia) is a long-lived perennial boasting short cylindrical clusters densely packed with purple flowers with long, conspicuous, purple stamens and yellow anthers. Resembling a bottle brush, the clusters are often coiled like the tail of a scorpion. Attractive to bees, they emerge in early-mid summer from a basal rosette of deeply cut leaves that are covered with silky hairs, giving the plant a silky, silvery look. This handsome wildflower has a special talent: it is a hyperaccumulator that is able to grow in soils with high concentrations of heavy metals. Its roots absorb metals, which are accumulated in concentrations 100 to 1,000 times higher than in the soil. Silky phacelia hyper accumulates gold. But no one is likely to get rich off harvesting phacelias. Easy to grow, Silky Phacelia adds charming purple-blue color to the wildflower garden or rock garden.
| Hardiness |
5 - 10 |
|---|---|
| Plant Type | Perennials |
| Plant Family | Boraginaceae |
| Genus | Phacelia |
| Common names | Phacelia |
| Exposure | Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest |
Summer (Early, Mid) |
| Height |
4" - 2' (10cm - 60cm) |
| Spread |
10" - 1' (25cm - 30cm) |
| Spacing |
10" - 12" (25cm - 30cm) |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Water Needs | Low |
| Soil Type | Chalk, Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Showy |
| Native Plants | United States, Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Rocky Mountains, California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado |
| Tolerance | Drought, Deer, Rabbit, Dry Soil |
| Attracts | Bees |
| Garden Uses | Beds And Borders |
| Garden Styles | Prairie and Meadow, Informal and Cottage, Gravel and Rock Garden |
| Hardiness |
5 - 10 |
|---|---|
| Plant Type | Perennials |
| Plant Family | Boraginaceae |
| Genus | Phacelia |
| Common names | Phacelia |
| Exposure | Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest |
Summer (Early, Mid) |
| Height |
4" - 2' (10cm - 60cm) |
| Spread |
10" - 1' (25cm - 30cm) |
| Spacing |
10" - 12" (25cm - 30cm) |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Water Needs | Low |
| Soil Type | Chalk, Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Showy |
| Native Plants | United States, Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Rocky Mountains, California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado |
| Tolerance | Drought, Deer, Rabbit, Dry Soil |
| Attracts | Bees |
| Garden Uses | Beds And Borders |
| Garden Styles | Prairie and Meadow, Informal and Cottage, Gravel and Rock Garden |
How many Phacelia sericea (Silky Phacelia) do I need for my garden?
| Plant | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|
| Phacelia sericea (Silky Phacelia) | N/A | Buy Plants |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
Join now and start creating your dream garden!
