Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
Habitat: Open, often rocky areas, from middle elevations in the mountains to the alpine.
Flowers: June-August
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Silky perennial from a branched, woody base and taproot, the several ascending stems 1-6 dm. tall.
Leaves pinnatifid, with entire or cleft segments, the basal and lower cauline leaves well-developed and persistent, the others somewhat reduced upward.
Inflorescence dense and terminal, composed of several short panicles; calyx divided nearly to the base, lobes 5; corolla bell-shaped, blue-purple or dark blue, persistent, 5-6 mm. long and wide, hairy inside and out; filaments long-exerted, 2-3 times as long as the corolla; style 6-13 mm. long, cleft nearly to the middle.
Fruit a capsule with 8-18 pitted seeds.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Phacelia sericea in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.
WA Flora Checklist: Phacelia sericea checklist entry.
OregonFlora: Phacelia sericea information.
E-Flora BC: Phacelia sericea atlas page.
CalPhotos: Phacelia sericea photos.
USDA Plants: Phacelia sericea information.