Phacelia Tanacetifolia (Lacy phacelia): This flower commonly known as Phacelia tanacetifolia, may not be something you’d randomly plant in your garden. In fact, you may wonder just what is lacy phacelia? Read on to find out. The lacy phacelia flower is a 1 to 3 foot (0.5-1 m.), leggy wildflower with a bloom that looks similar to a thistle. It is a heavy nectar producer. An attractive addition to the ornamental bed, you might want to plant some of the purple tansy wildflowers to attract pollinators. The lacy phacelia flower grows best in sunny spots where the soil is poor, rocky, or sandy. If the soil in your flower beds has been amended, try growing the purple tansy wildflower outside of the garden, but close enough that bees and butterflies can conveniently pollinate the garden blooms.