How To Grow Purple Tansy (Phacelia tanacetifolia)

In the Borage family, Purple Tansy is known as the honey plant, and is also referred to as 'Bees Friend'. Purple Tansy features curled fiddleheads of light-purple flowers with protruding stamens. Blooms for 6-8 weeks for a prolonged bloom time sow seeds every 2 weeks.

Attracts common species, mostly bumble bees, honey bees, mason bees, and syrphid flies. The bee activity, especially on lacy phacelia, tends to amaze observers seeing it for the first time.

Instructions

Exposure: Full sun | Zone: 3-10
Direct sow every couple of weeks from last frost (end of March on the coast) to mid-June. This will produce a full summer of flowers. Seeds will germinate in 12-30 days. Sow 5mm (¼”) deep, and space or thin to 10-20cm (4-8”) apart. Plants grow between 2-3 ft. Ordinary, well-drained garden soil is what makes Phacelia thrive. It will die back during a long, hot stretch of weather, so it’s ideal for the cooler seasons of spring and fall. Plants may self sow.

Notes

Interesting Facts About Purple Tansy:

Purple Tansy, catches nitrates and prevents them from leaking into groundwater. It is considered a top honey plant, and bee hives placed in acres planted with Purple Tansy can produce 180-1500 lbs/ac of honey and 300-1000 lbs/ac. of light-blue pollen. Because of the abundance of nectar and pollen that Purple Tansy produces, it has a special value to native bees who rely on these resources.

Purple Tansy is a general companion plant. Plant near anything that attracts aphids. Don’t plant near strawberries or other plants that are susceptible to lygus bugs.

Uses: wildflower meadow/prairie restoration, cover crop, ornamental.