Phacelia cicutaria

$5.47$7.30

We do not take online orders for plants. Please come in to the nursery, call or email: (510) 234-2222 or sales@thewatershednursery.com

Share this page

Caterpillar Phacelia

Caterpillar Phacelia is an upright annual shrub that grows up to 2 ft. tall and wide. It grows mainly in chaparral plant communities, often in burnt areas or on rocky slopes.

It is named for the caterpillar-like appearance of its hairy, tightly coiled flower buds that uncurl as the pale lavender to white flowers open up from March to May.

Caterpillar Phacelia is a wonderful choice for pollinator gardens and water-wise gardens. It prefers a fast-draining soil and is very drought tolerant, so it’s perfect for sandy, gravelly, or rocky sloped areas where other plants have a tough time growing.

Lifeform: Annual

Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade

Water: Dry, Light

Soil: Clay, Loam, Rocky, Sand

Other: Attracts Bees, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Moths, Drought Tolerant

Container

4", 4"S, D-16

Ecological Value

Nectar source for a variety of bees, butterflies and moths and is a host plant for the Stamnodes albiapicata moth caterpillars.

Historical Uses

No known historical uses.

Distribution

California, southern Nevada, Baja California

Elevation

-32" – 7672"

Habitat

Burnt areas and rocky slopes