
Planting guide
When to plant phacelia
Lavender-blue, coiled flowers beloved by bees; also a quick green manure. In Melbourne it goes in Mar, Apr, May, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec.
- Start as
- Seed, sown in place
- Flowers in
- 7–10 wks
- Spacing
- 15 cm
- Depth
- 0.5 cm
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- Low
- Effort
- Easy
- Colours
- blue, purple
- Frost-tender
- No
When it goes in
● means phacelia can go in that month, ○ means wait. Worked out from each town's climate zone and season, the way planting guides do it. Pick your town for the full list for that month.
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Melbourne | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Brisbane | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Perth | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Adelaide | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Gold Coast | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Newcastle | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Sunshine Coast | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Canberra | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Central Coast | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Geelong | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Wollongong | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Hobart | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Townsville | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Cairns | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Toowoomba | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Darwin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Ballarat | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Mandurah | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Bendigo | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Launceston | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Mackay | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Rockhampton | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Coffs Harbour | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Blue Mountains | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Bunbury | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Bundaberg | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Alice Springs | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Mildura | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Port Macquarie | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Wellington | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Christchurch | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| London | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Manchester | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Edinburgh | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Dublin | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| New York City | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Los Angeles | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Chicago | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Seattle | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Austin | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Toronto | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Vancouver | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Cape Town | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Johannesburg | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Singapore | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Mumbai | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Paris | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Berlin | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
How to plant phacelia
- Scatter seed on prepared soil and rake in lightly.
- Keep damp until it sprouts.
- Dig in before seeding to enrich bare beds.
- Sow in succession for continuous flowers.
Phacelia varieties
Classic varieties are the reliable, widely grown ones. Adventurous ones are heirlooms, odd colours and rarities.
- Tansy phacelia Classic7–10 wksSold by Diggers, Happy Valley
- Lavender Blue phacelia Classic7–10 wksSold by The Seed Collection
Where to buy seeds
Shop links may earn us a commission. It never changes what we recommend.
Shops shown are for Australia. The chooser picks shops for your country.
What phacelia does for your garden
One of the best bee plants; sow it as a green manure in empty beds.
Good neighbours
Grows well with
Tomatobee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Zucchinibee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Peabee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Cabbagebee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Broccolibee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Blueberrybee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Lemonbee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Limebee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Applebee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Avocadobee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Kiwifruitbee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Orangebee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Mandarinbee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Grapefruitbee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Kumquatbee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Peachbee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Nectarinebee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Plumbee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Apricotbee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Cherrybee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Pearbee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Pomegranatebee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Finger limebee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Quincebee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Loquatbee magnet that also feeds hoverflies
Phacelia by month
Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
More to plant
Marigold · Calendula · Nasturtium · Borage · Sunflower · Cosmos
Not sure phacelia is right for your space? Answer a few taps and see everything that can go in this week.
Find what else you can plant now