Dwarf Heliotrope Plants

Features

• Of heliotrope's many attractive qualities, fragrance tops the list. Known as the cherry pie plant, its pungent, vanilla-cherry scent captivates gardeners and butterflies. Abundant flowers appear in shades of purple from lavender to deep violet-blue, with varieties in white and rose as well. With a fragrance so intense, some cultivars are grown in Europe for perfumes. Tiny blossoms envelop the plant from summer through fall in profuse, rounded clusters measuring up to 4 inches across. The textured, deep-green foliage often exhibits an attractive purplish cast.

Culture

• Native to Peru, heliotrope is a tender perennial in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and 11. Throughout the rest of the United States, it performs admirably as an annual. Grown easily from seed, heliotrope should be started inside 10 to 12 weeks before the average last frost. In mild climates, sow outside one to two weeks after that frost date. Move seedlings outdoors when the danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed. For best results, plant in full sun to part shade in well-drained soil. Keep soil moist but never soggy and regularly remove spent blooms to encourage flowering. In areas with hot summers, plants appreciate protection from afternoon sun.

Uses

• A versatile plant, heliotrope does well in beds, borders, window boxes and containers -- even indoors as a houseplant where it does best in a sunny location and cool night temperatures. Whether in a pot or the garden, place it near a door, pathway or the front of a border where its fragrance and color can be readily enjoyed. Dwarf cultivars do well in hanging baskets. At nose level, they're ideal. Frequently included in fragrance and sensory gardens, the nectar-rich flowers attract butterflies, hummingbirds and gardeners in search of the perfect flower for a fragrant bouquet.

Cultivars

• Many outstanding dwarf cultivars are available as both plants and seeds. "Chatsworth," honored with the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit, reaches just 18 inches in height with intensely scented, deep-purple flowers. "Fragrant Delight" stays at 15 to 18 inches tall with vanilla-scented blooms of royal purple that age to lavender. "Dwarf Marine," though not as fragrant, is valued for intensely colored, large deep-purple flowers that measure more than 6 inches across on a plant just 12 to 18 inches tall. All these dwarf cultivars are tender perennials in USDA zones 10 and 11 and prolific annuals throughout the remainder of the United States.