Phacelia grisea is an annual herb with a branching, erect stem reaching up to about 60 centimeters in height. It is glandular and coated in stiff hairs. The lance-shaped or oval leaves are up to 8 centimeters long and have lobed edges. The hairy inflorescence is a one-sided curving or coiling cyme of bell-shaped flowers. Each flower is about half a centimeter long and white to pale purple in color with long protruding stamens.
