This flower prefers to be planted where it will grow all summer, it must be transplanted with care when seedlings are small. Choose a location that has full sun all day, a good well drained sandy loam soil, plants do not grow well in heavy or wet soil. How long do California bluebells bloom? Smaller species of Phacelia should be grown about 15 cm (6 inches) apart, and larger varieties spaced at 25 to 30 cm apart (10 to 12 inches). Caring for California Bluebell - Phacelia Some of the common names for Phacelia include California Bluebell, Heliotrope, and Wild Heliotrope.

Requirements: Full sunlight. Good drainage. Soil pH 6.5 to 7. Average soil. Can survive in dry soils. Pinch tips. While some Phacelia species may have a mild scent, they are not generally known for their fragrance. What is the perfect location to grow Phacelia?

Description: Phacelia campanularia. California Bluebell is also known as desert bells and desert bluebells. It is a native of the Mojave and Sonoran deserts in California, but it grows very well as an attractive garden annual in nearly any situation. Do California bluebells self seed? If you choose to go this route, it is imperative that you make your own soil mix. Regular potting soil will not drain well enough for these sand-loving desert plants. Either buy a specialized succulent or cactus mix that has the well-draining soil these plants prefer, or amend potting soil with plenty of sand and gravel for the best drainage.

California Bluebells thrive when planted in Full Sun conditions. They do best in soil that is somewhat dry, sandy soil, but they can tolerate other soil conditions as long as it’s well-draining. What do bluebells mean?Propagating California blue bells: By seed. In mild winter climates, seeds can be sown outdoors in the fall for earliest bloom. Elsewhere, sow as early in the spring as the ground can be worked. Thin them to the proper spacing shortly after they emerge. For earliest bloom, start plants indoors 6 to 8 weeks prior to planting outside as soon as the danger of frost has passed. Seeds germinate in 8 to 15 days at 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Growing them in peat pots will facilitate transplanting. Phacelia plants prefer full sun to part shade and well-drained soil. They can tolerate a range of soil types, including poor soils. Is Phacelia invasive in the USA, if so in which states? Look for desert bluebells in California’s Mohave Desert. If you hit the timing right, you may see what looks like an ocean of flowers erupting into a stupendous show. Desert bluebell flowers are also bright and beautiful in the home garden setting. For more information about desert bluebell flowers, read on. What are Desert Bluebells? It is best to grow Heliotrope and California bluebells outdoors from seeds. Sow about 6 mm (1/4 inch) deep, before the last frost of spring. Desert Bluebells make great plants for pots. They don’t grow particularly wide and have a relatively shallow root system that makes them perfect for containers.

You’ve probably gauged the required climate from the ‘Desert’ in the name ‘Desert Bluebell’. Phaceliacampanulariais grown in warm, dry regions with a Mediterranean-type climate. Hot dry summers and wet winters are ideal conditions for these annuals. There are two subspecies of Phaceliacampanularia.The most common is known as Phacelia campanularia ssp. vasiformis, spread across a wider native range and sporting larger flowers. If you see any images of Desert Bluebells online, they are likely of this subspecies. The anthocyanin pigment phacelianin was isolated from the flowers of this species and is involved in the formation of their blue color. It is also responsible for the blue of the flowers of Evolvulus pilosus. [10] It is native to the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts, and it is commonly cultivated as an ornamental. It is an annual herb growing erect to a maximum height around half a meter, its hairy stem is usually unbranched. The leaves are oval to rounded, toothed, and borne on petioles a few centimeters long. How do you care for a bell of fire? But a wildflower bed doesn’t have to consist of just one plant. If you want to replicate the Desert Bluebell wild look, plant tens or hundreds of seeds in the same area. In spring, your garden will be transformed into a true sea of blue that will catch anyone’s eye.

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Sow Outside: 1/4 inch (6 mm). Before the last frost. In warm areas can be sown in early autumn. Spacing 4 to 16 inches (10 to 40 cm). Germination time: two to four weeks in the dark. Temperature 55°F (13°C). This annual herb has an erect stem reaching 0.7 metres (2.3ft) in maximum height. It is covered in glandular hairs. The leaf blades are somewhat rounded with toothed edges. The inflorescence is a loose cyme of flowers. The flower has a bright blue corolla up to 4 centimeters long which can be bell-shaped, funnel-shaped, or round and flattened. It can have white spots in the throat. The protruding stamens and style can be 4.5 centimeters long. The fruit is a capsule up to 1.5 centimeters long. [9] It grows in dry, sandy places below 4,000 feet (1,200m). [6] Taxonomy [ edit ] USDA, NRCS (n.d.). " Phacelia campanularia". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team . Retrieved 31 January 2016. Two subtaxa are usually recognized, called subspecies [3] or varieties. [9] They can intergrade in some areas. [9] Needing poor quality soils for optimal growth, Phaceliacampanularia do not require any fertilizing. In fact, fertilizing will likely do more harm to the plant than doing nothing at all. The roots are easily scorched by high levels of nutrients and the plant will perform far worse or potentially stop flowering if given excessive fertilizers.