Phacelia formosula occurs on pure sands and sandy loams derived from the Coalmont Formation. These soils are Lithic Torriorthents. Outcrops are so small that soil series has not been assigned. Slopes are various and elevation varies from 8000 to 8200 feet. Because vegetative cover is low, incident light is high throughout the growing season.
Temperatures can be severely low in the winter and are moderate in the summer.
However, surface temperatures are probably high. Precipitation comes as winter snow and as rain during summer convective storms. The species posesses chlorophylous leaves which supply all carbohydrate needs. Because of a limited root system, nutrient poor soils, and sparse vegetative cover where the species occurs, it is not likely that any saprophytic relationships are present. It is not known, however, whether mycorrhizae are present.