Annuals & Biennials

Heliotropium
cherry-pie, heliotrope

- Height 14-24 in (35-60 cm)
- Planting distance 1 ft (30 cm)
- Flowers late spring to midfall
- Fertile, well-drained garden soil
- Sunny, sheltered site
- Evergreen shrub treated as tender annual

The hybrid heliotropes (Heliotropium arborescens) received their common name "cherry-pie" because the heavy fragrance of their small forget-me-not-like flowers is similar to that of cherry-pie filling. Great favorites in the formal gardens of Victorian times, they are still much used as accent plants in formal bedding displays in warm, sheltered gardens - heliotropes will not tolerate cold, exposed sites. Dwarf types are suitable for pots and containers and for sunny window boxes. The flowers range in color from dark purple through lilac to white. They appear from late spring until midfall and are carried above attractive dark green, finely wrinkled leaves.

Popular species and cultivars
The following are the most readily available heliotrope cultivars.
'Marine' bears large clusters of deep purple flowers, accompanied by dark foliage. It reaches 11/2 ft (45 cm) high.
'Marine Dwarf' is a dwarf mixture growing 14-16 in (35-40 cm) tall. The plants are compact but bushy, branching from the base, and have large violet-purple flower clusters and dark green, near-bronze foliage.

Annuals
and
Biennials