David Allan<p>Seeing quite a few pictures popping up just now of eye-catching crops are 'Phacelia', which farmers are increasingly growing as a soil improvement crop.<br>Bees love it, helping to contribute to both the health of the local ecosystem and crop pollination.<br>I'm not surprised it has become a topic of conversation, remembering the first time I came across it growing in a field near Penzance, West Cornwall three years ago.<br>I thought it looked just stunning and after asking a 'local' was informed of its name and why it was being grown.<br>I learn that it is a plant native to North and South America and generally not considered invasive.<br>Although not regarded as poisonous, I read that Phacelia does contain skin irritants that can cause an allergic reaction, although having said that, I've handled it without any issues.<br><a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/england" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>england</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/phacelia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>phacelia</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/cornwall" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>cornwall</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/flowers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>flowers</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/landscape" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>landscape</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/farmcrop" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>farmcrop</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>photography</span></a></p>