Heliotrope Guide: How To ID “Cherry Pie Plant,” Planting and Growing Heliotropes 

Heliotrope Leaves

Just like the blooms, Heliotrope leaves also come in different colors based on the cultivar.

The foliage may be blue, green, or silvery gray, but the features that cut across all include simple, ovate in shape, and arranged in an alternate pattern.

Heliotrope Flower

Hated by deer and loved for generations, the beauty of Heliotrope blooms is enough reason to plant them. They come in shades of white Heliotrope, but the Heliotrope purple shades are the most cherished, ranging from pale to darkest colors, sometimes even in shades of blue flowers.²

They usually grow in clusters and are shaped like trumpets, quite inviting for pollinators.

Heliotrope Seeds

The best way to plant Heliotropes is from the seeds.

These tiny brown-colored particles of seeds are valuable but remember that they are some of the most toxic parts of the plant.

Growing a Heliotrope From a Seed, Cutting or Seedling

The most common way to plant Heliotropes, or any other flower for that matter, is from the seeds. You can start them indoors in a potting mix at least 10 weeks before the last frost date, and they should germinate in around 25-40 days, after which they will be safe to transplant outdoors.

Alternatively, you can also use cuttings if you have your eye on a plant with a particular color and scent.

Simply take cuttings later on in summer and plant them outdoors in containers, away from extreme sunlight. Your plant should mature in the next 80-120 days.

However, the fastest way to plant Heliotropes is to use seedlings or transplants.⁶

Just visit your nearest nursery and pick the cultivar you need, dig a hole the same size as the planter it comes in, place the root ball, and tap the top of the soil. Regardless of the method, the plant should grow perfectly under ideal conditions as an annual or perennial.

Best Growing Conditions for Heliotrope

You want nothing but the most stunning flowers from healthy plants. That’s why you have to be keen on caring for your Heliotropes, providing everything they need.

For instance, how much sunlight does Heliotrope need each day? For the blooms to grow perfectly, make sure that there is at least 6 hours of sunlight every single day.

As for the watering needs for Heliotrope plants, make sure that the soil stays moist, not water-logged, which means that you may water every day or a few times a week, depending on the conditions, as long as the soil doesn’t dry out.

Heliotrope Growing Zone

The growing zones for Heliotrope (where to grow if you want a healthy and vibrant plant) are in USDA zones 9-11. Make sure it is an outdoor setup where you can appreciate the fragrance more.

Heliotrope Growth Rate

Are you wondering how long it takes to grow Heliotrope? It needs only 80-120 days to fully mature into a well-established plant.

Planting Tips for Heliotropium

You need the planting tips for Heliotrope if you want an easy time growing them. For starters, when it comes to when to plant Heliotrope for the best yield, consider planting indoors at least 10 weeks before the last frost date.

You can then transplant the seedlings or cuttings outdoors when it gets warmer.

(Image: monika1607⁸)

How about the spacing or how far apart to plant Heliotrope? Considering how ground-covering cultivars can get, your safest bet is to plant them 12-18 inches from each other,¹ leaving enough room for each to spread.

Common Heliotrope Problems and How To Stop Heliotrope Disease and Pests

Heliotropes are not problematic as long as they are planted in ideal conditions. If not, you will occasionally deal with common pests of the Heliotrope, such as the likes of aphids, white flies, fungus gnats, mealy bugs, and spider mites.

They still invade the toxic plant,⁷ eating into the parts and ruining the aesthetics, but they also make it weak and more prone to dangerous diseases. Luckily, there is natural pest control for Heliotrope, so you don’t have to use harmful pesticides on your plants.

You can use neem oil or insecticidal soap to repel these insects or introduce predators like lace wigs.⁴ Spraying them off the plant may also help before treating them with natural remedies.

Besides pests, also keep an eye out for diseases like powdery mildew, which is caused by lack of proper air circulation and poor soil conditions. Remember to chop off dying or any affected parts to keep the rest of the plant safe, and in severe cases, uproot the entire plant for the safety of your garden.

Fortunately, Heliotropes are not that susceptible to many fungal diseases, but to be safe, practice Heliotrope disease prevention. This means growing your plants in optimal conditions and providing their needs while pruning, repotting, and overwintering them as needed.

Uses of Heliotropes and Companion Plants for Growing Heliotrope

There are so many possibilities when planting Heliotropes in your home garden. You can use hanging panthers, grow them on a window box, place them on a container planter in your backyard garden, or even train them to look tree-like.

What matters is that you get the chance to enjoy their breathtaking beauty and heavenly scent. A plus is that you get to have occasional pollinators flocking into your home.

Why not even try companion planting for the full effect? There are so many excellent options that will contrast nicely with the colors and fragrances of Heliotropes, making a gorgeous paradise in your yard.

The best choices include dahlia, duranta, hydrangea, angelonia, viburnum, and geranium.

Facts About Heliotrope Plant

The Heliotrope plants are perfect for landscape gardening, all thanks to their delicate old-style blooms. Their vivid colors and strong, sweet scent draw in pollinators to your home, and you can’t help but notice how the dark leaves resemble hydrangeas and viburnums.

(Image: Johanna Pakkala⁹)

Even at only 1-3 feet tall, the plant surely makes up for it with other features. The following are more fascinating Heliotrope facts you should know.

Heliotrope Cultivation and History

Wondering where the term ‘Heliotrope’ comes from? Well, the plant tends to face the sun when growing, which is synonymous with “heliotropic” plants.

“Helios” is a Greek name for the sun while “tropos” means turn. It was first discovered in the 1700s in Peru in the Andes mountains by Joseph de Jussieau who brought it to Europe.³

As for the Heliotrope symbolism, the plant is used on special occasions to symbolize devotion and eternal love.

Heliotrope Color

Breathtaking is an understatement when referring to Heliotropes. The dark leaves contrast nicely with the dark to light shades of blue and purple flowers, although some species have white blooms.

Types of Heliotrope

The Heliotrope plant comes in so many cultivars,⁵ but the following are the most popular ones.

What’s on your list for the perfect landscaping flowering plant? Is it a plant with striking flowers that you can spot from a distance and a heavenly fragrance that engulfs your entire garden, or is it an easy-care, fast-growing, ground-covering plant?

The Heliotrope’s amazing qualities fit all these requirements. You can plant Heliotropes in containers or in your garden and enjoy its stunning white or lavender-colored flowers and sweet fragrances.

Frequently Asked Questions About Planting Heliotrope