Fan Photo by Duncan McCoy

Being a big fan of purple since I was a wee one, this is one of my favorite photos and why it has a place on the Boulder City Social website's home page!

Beautifully photographed by Fan Duncan McCoy near Lake Mead, this is "Lacy Phacelia Tanacetifolia" - a desert species that is native to California but has naturalized throughout the western United States.

The stamens radiate outward, are twice as long as the lavender petals and are a rich source of nectar, so the plant is occasionally grown commercially as a crop for bees. And rumor has it they smell like grapes, although I'm not certain that I'll stick my nose in a crop of them after the bee thing though ... maybe Rita Bowman will?  Gorgeous flower and photograph nonetheless!