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
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
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
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed; Spreading
Texture
Fine
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf shape
Oblong; Ovate
Leaf margin
Dentate
Leaf feel
Velvety
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
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
Flower color
Blue; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Cup; Saucer
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
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.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Capsules appear in June.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
The light green stems are round and covered with spreading glandular hairs.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
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.
Attracts
Bees; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds; Specialized Bees