Heliotrope - Old Fashioned (Heliotropium arborescens)
Tender Annual
The Heliotrope - Old Fashioned seed is a unique and captivating addition to any garden. An old-fashioned Victorian favorite, heliotrope is still cultivated for perfume making in Europe. The handsome plants have dark blue-green leaves and velvety 4 to 5 inch panicles of tiny purple blossoms whose soft sensuous fragrance is reminiscent of violets and cherries but more rich and complex. Plant them in containers or nearby garden beds where you can easily enjoy their sweet scent and bewitching color throughout the summer.
This extraordinary plant bears the name of the classic cocktail, and it's not hard to see why. Just like the drink, this heliotrope variety exudes elegance and charm.
These seeds yield plants with lush, deep green foliage and clusters of small, fragrant flowers in shades of deep purple, lavender, or even white, reminiscent of the heliotrope blossom's beauty. The scent of the flowers is truly enchanting, with a sweet, vanilla-like fragrance that can fill your garden with a delightful aroma.
Heliotrope - Old Fashioned is a perfect choice for those looking to create a garden that's both visually stunning and aromatic. Whether planted in containers, borders, or as part of a fragrant garden bed, this seed will grow into a charming and timeless addition to your outdoor space, evoking the spirit of a classic cocktail in bloom.
Sowing Seeds Indoors:
- Fill clean containers with soil-less seed mix and firm gently. Sow seed thinly (overcrowding produces weak, spindly seedlings susceptible to disease). Cover lightly with mix, water gently, cover with plastic wrap and place in indirect light at (65-75F). Be sure to keep mix evenly moist, never soggy
- Care of Seedlings Seedlings need high light for 14-18 hrs a day, temperatures of 55-70F, good air circulation, and diluted fertilizer. If you sow too thickly, trim or pluck out extra seedlings.
- Hardening Off Acclimate mature seedlings to outdoor conditions by moving them outdoors for an hour, increasing the time spent outdoors each day over 5 days.
- Transplanting Protect from hot sun--a cloudy, misty day is ideal, or late in the afternoon. Water carefully until established.
Sowing Seeds Outdoors:
- Prepare your soil well, rake smooth and water gently to settle. Sow seeds thinly, covering lightly with soil. Tamp and keep seed bed evenly moist until the seedlings are established. Thin 2-3 times until final spacing recommendations are met for healthy growth and flowering. Cultivate, weed, water as needed, and fertilize for a beautiful flower garden.
- Seed Storage Store extra seeds in an airtight glass container away from light or heat.
- Light: Full sun to partial shade Soil: Rich, moist, well-drained Height: 2.5-3' Spacing: 1' Season: Summer to fall Tip: Pinch for bushy growth
SOWING:
- Depth: 1/16"
- Flat temp: 65-75F
- Sprout time: 7-30 days
- Tip: Sow indoors 8-10 weeks before planting out after frost, or direct sow in zones 8+ after frost.
- Seed Count: 10