Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  form. Heliotropium polyphyllum

Description:

This Florida native features spikes of small flowers that may be yellow or white; yellow form is erect upright, white form is prostrate; adaptable to many growing conditions; excellent in borders, beds and containers; blooms year-round in frost free areas

Ornamental Features

Pineland Heliotrope has masses of beautiful spikes of lightly-scented white star-shaped flowers with buttery yellow overtones and gold eyes rising above the foliage from early to late fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. Its tiny tomentose pointy leaves remain dark green in colour throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Pineland Heliotrope is an herbaceous annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep. Trim off the flower heads after they fade and die to encourage more blooms late into the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Suckering

Pineland Heliotrope is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Pineland Heliotrope will grow to be only 6 inches tall at maturity extending to 10 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 30 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 24 inches apart. Although it's not a true annual, this plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is quite adaptable, prefering to grow in average to wet conditions, and will even tolerate some standing water. This plant should not require much in the way of fertilizing once established, although it may appreciate a shot of general-purpose fertilizer from time to time early in the growing season. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider covering it with a thick layer of mulch in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is native to parts of North America. It can be propagated by division.

Pineland Heliotrope is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.