Fernleaf fiddleneck Phacelia tanacetifolia
Table of Contents
Plant family: Boraginaceae
Aliases: Fiddleneck, scorpion weed, purple tansy
Flowering period: May – August
Flower colour: Lilac
Soil types: Most types
Habitat: Grassland, roadside verges
Status: Common
General information
A non-native, hardy annual wildflower, that grows to a maximum height of 1 metre tall. In agriculture it’s used as a green manure and cover crop to improve the quality of the soil. It will grow in most types of soil, but prefers well drained sites, that receive ample sunlight.
Identification
Flowers: The small lilac – lavender coloured, bellshaped flowers have 4 – 5 petals and appear from, branched coiled spikes (resembling fiddleheads).
Leaves: The pinnate leaves are finely cut, with a feathery, fern-like appearance.
Value for wildlife
Fernleaf fiddleneck is rich in nectar and very beneficial to a host of pollinating insects, these include honey bees, bumble bees, butterflies and hoverflies. It also attracts other insects such as ladybirds and lacewings that control unwanted garden pests, including aphids.
Uses for fernleaf fiddleneck
They are primarily used as a green manure to prevent soil erosion and reduce smother weeds. They can be worked into the ground as a soil amendment to improve fertility and structure of the soil.
Fernleaf fiddleneck images
Click to enlarge
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to use, share and adapt any of the images on this page, under the condition we receive a followed backlink to our website https://diversegardens.co.uk as the image source.
