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Native Plant Society of Texas

Blue Curls

Phacelia congesta

Other common name(s):

Caterpillars, Fiddleneck

Family:

Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Central Great Plains, Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Southern Texas Plains, Texas Blackland Prairies
Broken Red Plains, Limestone Plains, Red Prairie
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas, Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands, Chihuahuan Montane Woodlands, Low Mountains and Bajadas, Stockton Plateau
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift, Semiarid Edwards Plateau
Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Northern Nueces Alluvial Plains, Rio Grande Floodplain and Terraces, Semiarid Edwards Bajada, Texas-Tamaulipan Thornscrub
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

1
to
3
ft.

Spread

1
to
3
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Annual

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Clay, Dry, Limestone, Loam, Rocky, Sand

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Grassland, Woodland Edge

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Blue, Purple

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Pollen

Wildlife Benefit

Bees, Butterflies, Nectar Insects

Maintenance

Does best if protected from the west sun. Usually grows in large colonies. The foliage can produce a minor rash for some people. Native habitat: prairies, meadows, woodland edges, ditches.

Description

Blooms March-May. Tall, sprawling growth form. Blue Curls can grow as a biennial in warmer regions. Leaves are soft and deeply lobed. The purple to lavender-blue, bell-shaped flowers grow in slender, coiled clusters which uncurl as the buds develop. The fruit is a capsule.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Phacelia congesta var. dissecta

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed No Treatment You can start the seeds indoors, if you want, but they also start well from direct sowing in late winter to early spring. Lightly cover the seeds with growing medium and keep the area evenly moist until the seeds sprout. (Seeds I direct-sowed on March 26 started sprouting on April 30; your experience may vary.) The winter-sowing method can also work well if you want to sow in late fall to mid winter. Blue curls may self-sow if you allow the seeds to ripen on the plants. I find that some of the dropped seeds sprout in fall, and those plants tend to flower earlier a few weeks earlier the following spring. 1) https://hayefield.com/product/phacelia-congesta-blue-curls/#:~:text=Germination%20Information:%20You%20can%20start,weeks%20earlier%20the%20following%20spring. 2) https://www.forwardplant.com/care/propagate/phacelia-congesta/
Seed Stratification If starting indoors, stratify seeds by placing them in a moist medium (e.g., damp paper towel or sand) inside a plastic bag and refrigerating them at around 40°F (4°C) for 4–6 weeks before sowing. Scarification. https://nativefloraseeds.org/products/blue-curls#:~:text=Spring%20Sowing:%20If%20starting%20indoors%2C%20stratify%20seeds,is%20not%20typically%20necessary%20for%20Phacelia%20congesta.
Cutting Preparation: Remove the lower leaves from the stem, leaving just a few leaves at the top. Rooting Medium: Prepare a pot filled with a sterile rooting medium, such as a mixture of peat moss and perlite. Planting: Insert the cut end of the stem into the rooting medium. Ensure the stem is planted firmly. Humidity: Cover the pot with a plastic dome or wrap to create a humid environment. Lighting: Place the pot in a bright, indirect location. Watering: Keep the rooting medium moist, but avoid overwatering. Timing: Depending on the environment, cuttings can root anywhere from a few weeks to a month or two. Select healthy, actively growing stems from your existing Phacelia congesta plants. https://propagate.one/how-to-propagate-phacelia-congesta/

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason