AnnualsDiscover the right annual plants for your garden.
' Marine ' heliotrope ( Heliotropium arborescens ) . photograph : Proven Winners
Heliotrope is an erstwhile - fashioned summertime favorite , with colorful cluster of fragrant superstar - shape flowers . Also make love as cherry Proto-Indo European plant for the cherubic cherry - like odor , the heliotrope flower is attractive to hummingbird , butterflies , and other insect pollinators . “ Heliotrope ” intend “ to move with the sun , ” in reference to the flowers that travel along the light of the sun throughout the day .
The most unremarkably uprise garden species ( Heliotropium arborescens ) is a tender perennial bush in its native South American wont , but is most often rise as an yearly . Heliotrope plants can be grown in container , as edging , or mass as a bedding plant . Here ’s how to mature and apply heliotrope in your yard .
On this varlet : Basics|Planting|Care|Varieties|Propagation|Design idea
On this page :
BASICS
Botanical name:
Heliotropiumspp .
Zones:
9 - 11 , unremarkably grown as an anual
Habit:
Compact bushy drug abuse
Height/Spread:
When originate as an annual , plants typically attain 1 to 2 foot tall and wide . In hoar - free climate , plant life will remain repeated , make 1 to 4 feet tall and wide .
Exposure:
Full sun . For practiced bloom and vigorous growth , make certain plant receive at least 6 hour of direct sun . In hotter climate , cater light afternoon shade to protect the delicate flowers from becoming scorch .
Bloom time:
Summer to ice .
Flowers:
Clusters of small , star - shaped flowers 4 to 6 inches across occur in specter of over-embellished , lavender , purple - puritanic , or white-hot . Flowers have a sweet aroma that is often compared to cherries , grape , vanilla extract , or talcum powder .
Foliage:
succinct mounding plant life produce 3- to 4 - column inch - foresightful ovate foliage . The dark green foliage has flyspeck hairs , with a rough crinkled texture and distinct veining .
Is heliotrope deer resistant?
cervid are rebuff by the fragrance of heliotrope flower , as well as the rough texture of the leaves . However , nearly any plant may be susceptible to deer browsing if other food sources are scarce . ( See moredeer - resistant industrial plant . )
PLANTING HELIOTROPE
Augusta ™ Lavender heliotrope . Photo : Proven winner
When to plant:
Heliotrope is highly sensitive to cooler temperatures and frost . verify all danger of frost has pass in your realm before planting alfresco . In temperatures below 40 degrees fluorine , plant life may experience damage or stunted increment , so it ’s good to hold back until temperature are consistently warm .
Where to plant:
Choose a quick sunny website with rich , well - draining soil .
How to plant:
Loosen dirt in planting area and lightly amend with compost or other organic topic . verify soil debilitate well . If plants are crapper - restrain , gently rag out the root . Dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball and place in the planting hole so the top of the root ball is level with the fence grease . fulfill in the hole with ground , tamp down down gently to bump off air scoop , and water thoroughly . Water plants regularly until make .
Soil:
Heliotrope prefers rich , well - draining grease with a pH between 6.5 - 7.5 .
For containers:
ensure pots have adequate drainage holes . utilise a high timbre all - use potting grime that drains well .
HELIOTROPE CARE
Temperature and humidity:
Heliotrope thrives in drier climates , with warm day and cool nights . Too much rut can lead in flora stress , while humid weather can make plants more prostrate to powdery mildew . Provide effective air circulation to help keep disease .
Watering:
Keep grease evenly moist but not soggy , and do n’t permit plants to dry out out . Overwatering can conduct to root decomposition . water supply too soon in the day and avoid getting foliation wet . plant in container will require more regular water than those in the primer , especially during hotter weather .
Amendments & fertilizer:
To perform its good , heliotrope should be fertilized regularly . For works in the ground , fertilize monthly . Container - grown plants should be fertilized every two weeks . Use a fertiliser high in phosphorus to encourage more prime .
Pruning and deadheading:
After planting , lift back radical tips to promote more branching and a shaggy-haired substance abuse . Deadhead spent flower to promote rebloom .
Pests and diseases:
When planted in the ripe conditions , heliotrope has few pest or disease problems . pestis can includewhiteflies , mealybugs , spider mite , andaphids . disease , which are due elementary to overwatering or high humidity , include rust , powdery mildew , or folio spot .
HELIOTROPE VARIETIES
Photo : Proven success
AUGUSTA ™ LAVENDER — corrupt now from Proven WinnersHeliotropiumhybrid
Mounding spreading habit
12 to 24 inches marvelous , 24 to 36 inches wide
optic - enamour flowers are pale lavender with a yellow eye circle in white , creating a riveting issue in the landscape . The vigorous dissemination substance abuse is suitable for mass planting in beds or along a slope . Use as a makeweight element in a larger container , or by itself in a give ear basket . Tolerant of heat and humidity .
' MARINE’Heliotropium arborescens
Mounding bushy use
12 to 18 in grandiloquent and all-inclusive
Large clump of saturnine violet - blue blossom up to 6 inches across are produce on vigorous plants . flower have a impregnable vanilla scent that is more pronounced on fond summertime evenings . Use in hanging baskets , container or borders .
photograph : Jessica Chau / Flickr
' FRAGRANT DELIGHT’H. arborescens
15 to 24 inches tall , 12 to 24 inch all-embracing
This heirloom favorite bear on the loose flat heads of lifelike purple flowers with a strong vanilla extract sweetness . Flowers are more intensely scented than many other varieties . Mass as a bedding plant or usance in containers in compounding with other warm time of year yearly .
photograph : Anely Ruzhe / Shutterstock
SCENTROPIA ™ DARK BLUEH . arborescens
erect mounding wont
12 to 16 column inch improbable , 10 to 14 inches wide-eyed
cluster of intensely fragrant blooms come on well - branching plants . Color rank from deep blue - violet to sapphire low-spirited , reckon on the age of the peak . The stocky substance abuse is suitable for small spaces , containers , windowpane boxes , for edging borders and nerve tract .
Photo by : Sylvain Marineau / Millette Photomedia
' whitened LADY’H. arborescens
shaggy spreading use
18 to 24 in tall , 12 inch wide
Prolific clusters of snow white bloom with green throats are delightfully fragrant . Use in a container as a filler component in combination with other lovesome time of year annual . Plant in amoon gardenwith other sweet-smelling blank plants to enjoy on warm summer evenings .
PROPAGATING HELIOTROPE
Though most often raise from glasshouse head start , heliotrope can also be grown from ejaculate or cut .
From seed:
Start seeds indoors 10 to 12 calendar week before your last fair frost appointment . Keep soil evenly moist , with temperature between 70 - 75 degrees F. Allow 28 to 42 days for sprouting . hold off until the outdoor grunge temperature has reach out 60 degree F before planting seedlings outside .
From cuttings:
Towards the end of the originate season , take stem film editing to overwinter indoors . snub a 5 - inch section of a stem just below a leaf node . move out prime and dispirited leaves , dim the bottom goal of the stem inrooting hormoneand position in a infertile seeded player start out medium or mix of sand and perlite . Keep evenly water in a warm environs until planting outdoors the next outflow .
Note : It is illegal to disperse any patented or patent of invention pending plant and trade them for pecuniary gain .
HELIOTROPE LANDSCAPING IDEAS
photograph by : Wirestock Creators / Shutterstock
For delimitation and landscapes : apply spreading varieties as bedding plants . Upright types can be planted in mixed borders or as pathway edging .
For slope and hillside : Mass propagate types along a slope or hillside in combination with other yearly for a warm flare-up of color all summer long .
For containers : Grow mound or spreading types in containers , hang basket , or windowpane boxes , by themselves or in combination with other warm season annuals .
There are many way to integrate bloodstone plant into your landscape . Here ’s how :
Companion plants:
Heliotrope pair well with many annuals as well as some perennials . industrial plant alongside other plants with similar rise needs such asAfrican daisy(Osteospermum),Angelonia , opprobrious - eyed Susan(Rudbeckia hirta),floss flower(Ageratum),geranium(GeraniumandPelargonium),Lantana , licorice plant ( Helichrysum),annualLobelia , Calibrachoa , stock ( Matthiola ) , orSalvia‘Victoria ’ .
