The illustrated growing guide
Phacelia (Lacy Phacelia)
Phacelia tanacetifolia
Family Boraginaceae
Grown as an annual
One of the most powerful bee-and-beneficial plants you can sow — a fast cover crop that erupts in lacy lavender-blue coils in under two months, ranked among the very best nectar sources per acre and a favorite of aphid-eating hoverflies. Use it as a cover crop, an insectary strip beside vegetables, or simply a pollinator patch. Cut it before seed set to prevent (mostly welcome) self-sowing.
Full Sun
Low water
Very Fast growth
Native to North America
Attracts bees
None winter chillI
Overview
Will phacelia (lacy phacelia) suit your garden, and what goes wrong.
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what phacelia (lacy phacelia) actually needs.
Life cycleAnnualPhacelia (Lacy Phacelia) at a glance
Common phacelia (lacy phacelia) problems
- Almost none
- Almost none
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Growing
Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
How to grow phacelia (lacy phacelia): light, water & soil
How to plant & propagate phacelia (lacy phacelia)
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The year
What phacelia (lacy phacelia) asks for, month by month.
The phacelia (lacy phacelia) year, month by month
BloomWhat each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
The phacelia (lacy phacelia) year as text
- Jan quiet month
- Feb quiet month
- Mar bloom
- Apr bloom
- May bloom
- Jun bloom
- Jul bloom
- Aug bloom
- Sep quiet month
- Oct quiet month
- Nov quiet month
- Dec quiet month
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
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Ecology & uses
What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Phacelia (Lacy Phacelia) in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer annual
- Nectary/insectary
What phacelia (lacy phacelia) is grown for
✓ Commonly eatenfoliage can irritate sensitive skin
Harvesting & storing phacelia (lacy phacelia)
Cover crop / insectary strip; not for eating.
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
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Cultivars
Named varieties of phacelia (lacy phacelia), ruled as a catalogue.
Best phacelia (lacy phacelia) varieties & cultivars
Species (tanacetifolia)
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Sources & plant ID
Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.
Research basis
Sources behind this profile
No extension citations are attached to phacelia (lacy phacelia)yet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.
Plant ID
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Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
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Questions
Phacelia (Lacy Phacelia) questions, answered straight.
Is phacelia (lacy phacelia) safe for kids and pets?
Phacelia (Lacy Phacelia) is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. One caveat on this one: foliage can irritate sensitive skin. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
When do you harvest phacelia (lacy phacelia)?
Cover crop / insectary strip; not for eating.
How do you propagate phacelia (lacy phacelia)?
From seed.
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Elsewhere
Where phacelia (lacy phacelia) sits in the library.
Alfalfa
Crimson Clover
White Clover
Hairy Vetch