Flower profile
Frémont's phacelia
Phacelia fremontii
Frémont's phacelia (Phacelia fremontii) is a flowering plant in the Boraginaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–May across the U.S.
Frémont's phacelia is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Nevada it's most often seen in bloom in February–May.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Nevada
Quick look
Phacelia fremontii is a flowering plant in the family Hydrophyllaceae native to the southwestern United States. In California, its range includes the Mojave Desert, the San Joaquin Valley, the Coast Ranges, and the Sierra Nevada. It was named for John C. Frémont.
- It belongs to the Boraginaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 4 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Nevada. NatureServe
- In Nevada, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in February–May. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 909 research-grade sightings of it in Nevada, ranking #34 among the 132 flowers on our Nevada list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
In Nevada, most flowering sightings come in February–May.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G4 Apparently secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Nevada
- Not listed Not on Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Nevada. NAC 527.010
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
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 page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.
🌿 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 frémont's phacelia in 4 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah.
Nevada counties with USDA records: Clark, Esmeralda, Lincoln, Nye, Washoe.
Names, range and relatives
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 23 counties across 4 states; the most are in California (14), Nevada (5), Arizona (3).
Other Phacelia on Bloomipedia (8): Distant phacelia, Notch-leaf scorpionweed, Blue curls, Purple phacelia, Silky phacelia, Miami mist, Linearleaf phacelia, Gypsum phacelia.
More from the Boraginaceae family (42 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Virginia bluebells, Virginia waterleaf, Pacific hound's tongue, Alkali heliotrope, Virginia stickseed, Wild comfrey, Menzies' baby blue eyes, California yerba santa.
More Nevada flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile PHFR2.
- iNaturalist, Phacelia fremontii: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Phacelia fremontii (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Nevada: Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010).
- Nevada: Nevada noxious weeds (NAC 555.010).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Phacelia fremontii (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Anders Hastings via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.