How to Care for a Heliotrope Flower
Heliotropes follow the sun, with their flowers turning slowly westward throughout the day as the sun moves through the sky. These flowers grow as a small, bushy plant with deep green foliage and clusters of bright purple or lavender blossoms. The heliotrope also provides a sweet scent to the garden, with an aroma reminiscent of vanilla or cherry pie. These low-maintenance plants thrive and blossom with only a minimum investment of time. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Plant heliotropes in a bed that receives full morning sun but some afternoon shading. Beds that drain well and aren't prone to standing water are preferable to overly dry or overly soggy beds.
-
2
Spread a 2-inch layer of mulch, such as bark chips, over the bed after planting. The mulch keeps the roots cool and also helps prevent the soil from drying out too rapidly.
-
-
3
Pinch back the plants every two weeks in early summer until the plant reaches the desired height, approximately 15 to 20 inches tall for most varieties. Pinch off ¼ inch from the tip of each stem, as this encourages branching and a fuller, bushier plant.
-
4
Fertilize the heliotropes once monthly from spring through early fall. Apply a soluble high-phosphorus fertilizer, such as a 10-20-10 analysis, at the rate recommended on the label.
-
5
Water the heliotrope flowers when the top inch of soil begins to dry out but before it feels completely dry. Provide enough irrigation to moisten the top 6 inches of soil. Once-weekly watering is generally sufficient unless the soil dries out more quickly during hot, dry periods.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Heliotropes also grow well as an outdoor container plant. Care is similar to that of bedding plants, though they may require more frequent watering.
While heliotropes are tender perennials, they cannot survive winter temperatures so are usually sold and grown as annual flowers in the United States.
