Wildflower/Perennial · Sonoran native
Desert Bluebells
Phacelia campanularia · Boraginaceae (formerly Hydrophyllaceae)
Also called: California Bluebell, Desert Canterbury Bells, Desert Bells
Desert Bluebells (Phacelia campanularia) is a low-water wildflower/perennial native to the Sonoran Desert region well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It grows to 8-20 in H x 6-12 in W in full sun.
Desert Bluebells at a glance
- Water use
- Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun
- Mature size
- 8-20 in H x 6-12 in W
- Growth rate
- Fast (annual life cycle)
- Bloom
- Deep gentian to royal blue, bell-shaped flowers, Spring, typically February through April/May following winter rains
- Cold hardiness
- Cool-season annual; tolerates light frost; grows in USDA zones 8-11 as a winter annual
- Soil
- Sandy, gravelly, well-drained desert soils; tolerant of poor and rocky soils; requires good drainage
- Native range
- Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of southeastern California and western Arizona
- Best used as
- Spring wildflower color and mass plantings, Naturalized reseeding wildflower areas, Seed mixes with poppies and other desert annuals, Pollinator gardens
- Wildlife
- Excellent early-spring nectar source for native bees, bumblebees and butterflies.
- Toxicity
- Foliage and stems bear glandular hairs that can cause contact dermatitis or skin irritation in sensitive individuals; handle with care.
How to grow Desert Bluebells in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Sow seed in fall; depends on winter rains for germination. Supplement with light irrigation during dry winters to maintain growth and bloom; needs little water once established as a short-lived annual.
Fertilizer & nutrients
None required; grows in lean desert soils. Avoid fertilizing.
Pruning & care
No pruning; an annual that completes its cycle and dies after setting seed in late spring. Let it reseed for next year, then clear spent plants.
Notes
Among the most intensely blue of desert wildflowers, pairing strikingly with golden poppies. Best from fall-sown seed; bloom depends heavily on winter rainfall. The hairy foliage can irritate skin, so wear gloves when handling.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum; AMWUA Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert; Tohono Chul / Tucson Botanical Gardens