Garden and Flowers

Gilia capitata is a species of flowering plant in the 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.

Small blue spherical flower heads rise up out of the blue flower-bed from July to September. They are the composite flowers of Gilia. Dozens of tiny florets crowd round a single point to form a lavender to violet-blue sphere which grows to about 24 in in height. For a long way below them there is nothing but stems and then, finally, there are some indeterminate, deeply divided leaves, which add little to the decorative appearance of the plants. It is therefore best to plant Gilia in among other plants, where it will find some support. The flowers attract bees and other insects. Sow Gilia directly outdoors in a sunny position and well-drained soil in April-May. The species comes from the dry west coast of North America and likes dry conditions and fresh air.

It grows in many habitats, especially in sandy or rocky soils. This wildflower is somewhat variable in appearance, with branching, leafy stems reaching anywhere from 10 to 90 centimeters in maximum height and sometimes having glandular hairs on the fleshy herbage. The leaves are divided into toothed or lobed leaflets. Atop the branches of the thick stem are spherical inflorescences of 50 to 100 small flowers.