Phacelia, Vari-leafPhacelia heterophylla

Late bloomer.  Five greenish-white petals, many flowers in a coil on a tall, stout stem; biennial plant.

Notes:  These look more like a caterpillar than the Caterpillar Phacelia (compare photo here with that in 110_1116).  Vari-leaf Phacelia has elliptical leaves while Caterpillar Phacelia has oblong to lance-like leaflets with toothed margins. The flower has a distinctive, coiled, wormlike look with small white flowers on the worm’s back.

Click on species name below to go to USDA for this plant

Kingdom Plantae -- Plants 
    Subkingdom Tracheobionta -- Vascular plants 
        Superdivision Spermatophyta -- Seed plants 
            Division Magnoliophyta -- Flowering plants 
                Class Magnoliopsida -- Dicotyledons 
                    Subclass Asteridae 
                        Order Solanales 
                            Family Hydrophyllaceae -- Waterleaf family 
                                Genus Phacelia Juss. -- phacelia 
                                    Species Phacelia heterophylla Pursh -- varileaf phacelia

 Phacelia, Vari-leaf,  Phacelia heterophylla


 This picture of a Vari-leaf Phacelia before blooming shows its leaves,
which help distinguish it from the
Caterpillar Phacelia