Pollinator plant

Bluehead gilia

Gilia capitata

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Common names

16 names · 10 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Blue Gilia[1]
  • blue thimble flower[4]
  • blue thimbleflower[2][3]
+3 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (9)
Dutch
Chinese (Simplified)
Czech
  • proměnka strboulkatá[3]
Finnish
  • pallerokiurunkukka[3]
Japanese
  • タマザキギリア[3]
Norwegian
  • nøstegilia[3]
Russian
  • Гилия головчатая[3]
Slovak
  • gilia hlavičkatá[3]
Swedish
Sources & name notes (4)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Gilia capitata — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Bluehead Gilia — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Gilia capitata.
  • Blue Gilia — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Gilia capitata.
  • Blue-head Gily-flower — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Gilia capitata.
  • Globe Gilia — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(4); heading: Common Name(s):; Gilia capitata.
[2] Gilia capitata — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • bluehead gilia — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 57793; Gilia capitata.
  • blue thimbleflower — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 57793; Gilia capitata.
  • Globe Gilia — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 57793; Gilia capitata.
  • Blauwhoofdige Gilia — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 57793; Gilia capitata.
  • Hoofdjesgilia — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 57793; Gilia capitata.
[3] Gilia capitata — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • bluehead gilia — results[4].names[1]; taxon id 57793; Gilia capitata.
  • blue thimbleflower — results[4].names[9]; taxon id 57793; Gilia capitata.
  • Globe Gilia — results[4].names[2]; taxon id 57793; Gilia capitata.
  • Blauwhoofdige Gilia — results[4].names[4]; taxon id 57793; Gilia capitata.
  • Hoofdjesgilia — results[4].names[7]; taxon id 57793; Gilia capitata.
  • nøstegilia — results[4].names[3]; taxon id 57793; Gilia capitata.
  • pallerokiurunkukka — results[4].names[5]; taxon id 57793; Gilia capitata.
  • proměnka strboulkatá — results[4].names[6]; taxon id 57793; Gilia capitata.
  • タマザキギリア — results[4].names[8]; taxon id 57793; Gilia capitata.
  • bollgilia — results[4].names[10]; taxon id 57793; Gilia capitata.
  • Гилия головчатая — results[4].names[11]; taxon id 57793; Gilia capitata.
  • gilia hlavičkatá — results[4].names[12]; taxon id 57793; Gilia capitata.
  • 球吉莉 — results[4].names[13]; taxon id 57793; Gilia capitata.
[4] Royal Horticultural Society — common names ↗

Names retained from the referenced botanical profile or table.

Source records
  • blue thimble flower — Page 4, column 1, row top 97 pt; common-name cell after Gilia capitata.; Gilia capitata.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Gilia capitata is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Polemoniaceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Mature height
0.15–1.07 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
0.3–0.61 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Annual

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Rapid

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage; Occasionally Dry

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Spring; Summer

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: bees, pollinators, specialized bees.

NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [2]
Pollinator guidance
RHS includes Gilia capitata in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.

RHS planting guidance. Choose accessible flowers with pollen and nectar; reduced-resource and double-flowered forms may be unsuitable.

Sources [3]
Native range
Alaska to W. U.S.A.

Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.

Sources [4]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Low suitability
Nectar value Low
Pollen value Low
Plant profile

About this plant

Bluehead gilia (Gilia capitata) is a herbaceous plant. It flowers from May to September.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Gilia capitata — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 265443; ID 3G2LV; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 265443; ID 3G2LV; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Gilia capitata — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: Mature heightMature spreadLife cycleGrowth rateLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureFlowering seasonReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Horticultural Society RHS Plants for Pollinators — Garden Plants

    RHS planting guidance; applicable flower-form restrictions are retained. General recommendations do not measure local nectar or pollen production.

    Supports: Pollinator guidance
    Relevant sections
    • Pollinator guidance: Page 4, column 1, entry Gilia capitata (top 97 pt)

    Source checked on .

  4. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Gilia capitata — Kew WCVP native distribution

    Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.

    Supports: Native range
    Relevant sections
    • Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 1400603; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 1406585, 1406586, 1406587, 1406590, 1406591, 1406592, 1406593, 1406594

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.