Phacelia tanacetifolia

Plants are 30 to 60 cm tall and rough-haired, with alternate, pinnate leaves up to 20 cm long.

Flower clusters are coiled before opening; the blue-lilac bells are 8 to 12 mm long, with five lilac stamens projecting far beyond.

Info Flora gives May to October as the flowering period in Switzerland.

Flowering begins 6 to 8 weeks after sowing.

In Switzerland it occurs on fields, in vineyards and on waste ground, and is now often grown as green manure and escapes.

The Celle bee institute describes phacelia nectar production as usually very good.

Although honeybee pollen loads from phacelia are fairly small, the pollen yield from a phacelia flow is very good.

Besides the honeybee, many other insects visit phacelia flowers.

Phacelia honey has a mild, distinctive aroma; once crystallised it is light beige to almost white.

Phacelia tanacetifolia originates from the US states of California and Arizona.

Info Flora classes it as a neophyte, a plant that appeared in the region after 1500.

Its value as a fodder plant and as a catch crop between main crops was recognised later.