California bluebell
Annual phacelia from Californian deserts with deep blue bell flowers; visited by bees but far less productive as forage than Phacelia tanacetifolia.
- Nectar
- Medium
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 0,15-0,4 m
- Life cycle
- Annual
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California bluebell is a low-growing annual of sandy and gravelly slopes in California's Mojave and Colorado deserts; in Europe it is sown as an ornamental. Its intense blue, bell-shaped flowers are visited by honey bees and wild bees. Unlike Phacelia tanacetifolia, which is widely sown as bee forage, there are very few measured data on the nectar and pollen yield of this species; because of its small size it has no importance on a field scale.
Flowering
In temperate regions, when sown in April-May, it flowers between June and August for about 6-8 weeks. In its natural habitat flowering depends on winter rains and falls in February-April.
Honey and pollen
There is no monofloral honey.
Note for the beekeeper
It can be grown as a bee-friendly ornamental in sandy, well-drained, sunny garden corners. The glandular hairs on the leaves and stems can cause itching and redness of the skin in some people. If sowing for bee forage, Phacelia tanacetifolia should be preferred.