Flower profile
Purple phacelia
Phacelia bipinnatifida
Purple phacelia is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–May.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
Quick look
Phacelia bipinnatifida, commonly known as purple phacelia, fernleaf phacelia and spotted phacelia is a species of phacelia native to the southeastern United States.
- It belongs to the Boraginaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a biennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 18 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Tennessee and Kentucky. NatureServe
- In Tennessee, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–May. iNaturalist
- In Kentucky, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 2,150 research-grade sightings of it in Tennessee, ranking #46 among the 112 flowers on our Tennessee list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 836 research-grade sightings of it in Kentucky, ranking #70 among the 110 flowers on our Kentucky list. iNaturalist
Purple phacelia gift ideas
Handmade purple phacelia gifts from independent makers.
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Purple phacelia art print
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Purple phacelia greeting card
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Purple phacelia mug
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Purple phacelia earrings
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Purple phacelia embroidery pattern
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Purple phacelia sticker
When does it bloom?
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Tennessee
- Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Tennessee. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
- Kentucky
- Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe: S5, secure in Kentucky. 400 KAR 3:040
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: MS (S1), NJ (S1), SC (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records purple phacelia in 18 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia.
Tennessee counties with USDA records: Anderson, Bedford, Blount, Cannon, Carter, Cheatham, Clay, Cocke, Coffee, Cumberland, Davidson, DeKalb, Dickson, Fentress, Franklin, Giles, Grainger, Grundy, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Knox, Lewis, Lincoln, Loudon, Macon, Marion, Marshall, Maury, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Polk, Rhea, Roane, Robertson, Rutherford, Scott, Sevier, Smith, Stewart, Sullivan, Sumner, Trousdale, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, Warren, Wayne, White, Williamson.
Kentucky counties with USDA records: Allen, Anderson, Bell, Boone, Bourbon, Bracken, Breathitt, Caldwell, Calloway, Campbell, Carlisle, Clark, Clay, Crittenden, Edmonson, Estill, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Garrard, Harlan, Henderson, Henry, Hickman, Jefferson, Jessamine, Knott, Knox, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Livingston, Lyon, Madison, Mason, McCreary, Meade, Mercer, Metcalfe, Morgan, Oldham, Perry, Pike, Powell, Union, Warren, Whitley, Woodford.
More Tennessee flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile PHBI2.
- iNaturalist, Phacelia bipinnatifida: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Phacelia bipinnatifida (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Tennessee: Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act).
- Tennessee: Tennessee Pest Plant List (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0080-06-24-.02).
- Kentucky: Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026).
- Kentucky: Kentucky noxious weeds and invasive plants on state rights-of-way (KRS 176.051; species list from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Phacelia bipinnatifida (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Ben Gruhot via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.