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Blue Field Gilia
Gilia capitata
  
32 Nurseries Carry This Plant

About Blue Field Gilia (Gilia capitata) 32 Nurseries Carry This Plant Gilia capitata is a species of flowering plant in the Polemoniaceae (Phlox) family known by the common names bluehead gilia and blue field gilia. It is native to much of western North America from Alaska to northern Mexico, and it can be found on the eastern side of the continent as an introduced species. In California it is widespread, occurring along the coast and in the Sierras. It grows in many habitats, especially in sandy or rocky soils. This wildflower is somewhat variable in form and appearance, with eight recognized subspecies. The branching, leafy stems reach anywhere from 10 to 90 centimeters in maximum height and sometimes having hairy hairs on the fleshy herbage. The leaves are divided into toothed or lobed leaflets. Atop the branches of the thick stem are spherical flower clusters of 50 to 100 small flowers. Each flower has a throat opening into a spreading corolla which may be white, pink, lavender, or light blue. The stamens protrude slightly from the flower's mouth and are white with white, blue, or pink anthers. In the garden it is best use in a meadow-like setting with other annuals. It is frequently included in wildflower seed mixes.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Plant Type
Annual herb

Size
Size
0.33 - 3 ft tall

Flower Color
Flower Color
Blue, Lavender, Pink, White

Flowering Season
Flowering Season
Winter, Spring

Wildlife Supported
 
Numerous insects

 
Butterflies & moths hosted ( 1 confirmed , 5 likely * ) SHOW ALL
Adela singulella Image
Adela singulellaAdela singulella
*
Hyles lineata Image
White-lined Sphinx Hyles lineataHyles lineata
*
Heliothis phloxiphaga Image
Spotted Straw Sun Moth Heliothis phloxiphagaHeliothis phloxiphaga
*
Kodiosoma fulvum Image
Kodiosoma fulvumKodiosoma fulvum
*
Yermoia glaucina Image
Yermoia glaucinaYermoia glaucina
*
Schinia biundulata Image
Schinia biundulataSchinia biundulata

Landscaping Information
Sun
Sun
Full Sun

Moisture
Moisture
Very Low

Summer Irrigation
Summer Irrigation
Max 2x / month once established

Nurseries
Nurseries
Carried by 32

Ease of Care
Ease of Care
Moderately Easy

Cold Tolerance
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to -20° F

Soil Drainage
Soil Drainage
Fast, Medium

Soil Description
Soil Description
Tolerates clay but does best in well-drained soil. Soil PH: 6.0 - 7.0

Common uses
Common uses
Butterfly Gardens, Bee Gardens

Companion Plants
Companion Plants
Use with annuals and herbaceous perennials such as California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), Clarkia sp., Baby Blue-eyes (Nemophila menziesii), and Scarlet Delphinium (Delphinium cardinale); geophytes such as Wild Onions (Allium sp.), Mariposa Lily (Calochortus sp.), and Brodiaea sp.; also native grasses

Propagation
Propagation?
For propagating by seed: No treatment; 2 wks. stratification improves germination ( Grant 1949).

Natural Setting
Site Type
Site Type
Open, sandy rocky places in many settings, from coastal lowlands to higher mountains and from mesic to xeric

Climate
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 4.9" - 151.1", Summer Precipitation: 0.15" - 5.63", Coldest Month: 26.8" - 58.8", Hottest Month: 45.7" - 87.5", Humidity: 0.01" - 38.31", Elevation: -9" - 11089"

Alternative Names
Common Names: Blue Field-gilia, Bluehead Gilia


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Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links:   Jepson eFlora Taxon Page  CalPhotos  Wikipedia  Calflora


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