How to Grow Purple Heliotrope
Purple heliotrope is one of the common names for Heliotropium arborescens, a small perennial plant with bright purple flowers. It originates from Peru, but you can find it in many gardens throughout the United States. Purple heliotrope has an intense fragrance similar to cherry pie, and it is also known as the cherry pie plant. Gardeners typically start purple heliotrope inside from seed, and then move them outdoors. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Small planter
- Plastic bags
- Garden trowel
- 10-60-10 fertilizer
- Pruning shears
Instructions
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Check the climate for growing purple heliotrope. You can grow this plant as a perennial in US Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 and 10, meaning that the lowest temperature during the year should be between 20 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also grow purple heliotrope as an annual in much colder climates.
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Fill small planters with general-purpose potting soil about two months before your last expected frost. Sow purple heliotrope seeds in the planters and cover them with a thin layer of soil. Cover the planters with plastic bags to keep moisture in, and maintain the seeds at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The purple heliotrope seeds should sprout within two months.
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Prepare the planting site about a month after the last expected frost. Plant purple heliotrope in full sun, or against an eastern wall to provide afternoon sun. The soil should be rich with good drainage.
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Remove the seedlings from the planters and transplant them to the planting site. Space the purple heliotrope plants at intervals of 1 to 1.5 feet.
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Water the purple heliotrope plants thoroughly once per week. Apply a high-phosphorus fertilizer such as a 10-60-10 formula each month during the growing season. This type of fertilizer encourages the production of flowers rather than foliage.
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Pinch the tips of the growing stems to encourage additional branching. Cut off dead flowers with pruning shears to promote blooming and prevent the purple heliotrope from producing seed.
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