Higgins’s Phacelia: A Rare Arizona Native Worth Protecting
Meet Higgins’s phacelia (Phacelia higginsii), one of Arizona’s most precious botanical treasures. This little-known native plant might not be gracing garden centers anytime soon, and there’s a very important reason why. Before we dive into what makes this plant special, let’s talk about why you probably shouldn’t be planting it in your backyard—and what you can do instead to support native pollinator gardens.
A Critically Rare Desert Gem
Higgins’s phacelia holds the sobering distinction of having a Global Conservation Status of S1, which translates to Critically Imperiled. This means there are typically five or fewer known populations of this plant in existence, with fewer than 1,000 individual plants remaining in the wild. When a plant is this rare, every single specimen becomes incredibly valuable for the species’ survival.
Where to Find This Elusive Native
This biennial to perennial forb calls Arizona home and only Arizona. Unlike its more widespread cousins in the Phacelia family, Higgins’s phacelia has an extremely limited range within the state. Its rarity makes it a true Arizona endemic—a plant that exists nowhere else on Earth.
What Makes a Phacelia Special
As a forb, Higgins’s phacelia is a non-woody plant that likely produces the characteristic flowers that make the Phacelia genus so beloved by pollinators. While we don’t have specific details about this rare species’ appearance, most phacelias sport clusters of small, tubular flowers that create a buzz of activity among bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.
Why You Shouldn’t Plant This One (And What to Plant Instead)
Here’s where things get serious: due to its critically imperiled status, Higgins’s phacelia should not be cultivated in home gardens unless you have access to responsibly sourced material from conservation programs. Collecting seeds or plants from wild populations could literally push this species closer to extinction.
But don’t despair! Arizona gardeners have plenty of other native Phacelia options that will give you all the pollinator-attracting benefits without the conservation concerns:
- Desert bluebells (Phacelia campanularia) – stunning blue flowers
- Scorpionweed (Phacelia distans) – excellent for dry gardens
- Wild heliotrope (Phacelia crenulata) – purple blooms loved by bees
Supporting Conservation Efforts
While you can’t grow Higgins’s phacelia in your garden, you can still help this rare beauty survive. Consider supporting local botanical gardens, native plant societies, and conservation organizations working to protect Arizona’s rarest plants. Sometimes the best way to love a plant is to admire it from afar and ensure future generations get the same chance.
The Bigger Picture
Higgins’s phacelia serves as a reminder that our native plant communities include species hanging by a thread. Every time we choose native plants for our gardens—even the more common ones—we’re creating habitat corridors and supporting the intricate web of relationships between plants, pollinators, and wildlife that make our ecosystems thrive.
So while you won’t be adding this particular phacelia to your shopping list, you can honor its existence by becoming a champion for native plants in your own patch of Arizona. After all, protecting what’s rare starts with celebrating what’s abundant.
