[2] It grows mainly at subalpine to alpine elevations in forest openings or above treeline among rocks and sand.

Phacelia sericea consists of several upright or ascending stems to 0.6 metres (2 ft 0 in) from a tap-rooted, branched woody base.

The inflorescence consists of several short panicles, tightly packed, at the end of the stem, resembling a bottle-brush.

These are listed as subspecies by the USDA PLANTS database and ITIS, and as varieties by Jepson and Hitchcock.

[2][7] Phacelia sericea is listed by the Federal Highway Administration as a native species suitable for landscaping along roadsides in Colorado.