Gardener's Guide to Heliotrope Plant Care

Heliotropes are flowering herbaceous plants that produce a vanilla/cinammon fragrance. If you want to grow one of these in your garden, there are a few things you'll need to know. This article will give you a few tips on caring for a heliotrope plant.

Sun

Heliotrope plants will rotate their leaves in order to face the sun. This helps them to absorb the most possible light. You just need to make sure that you put the plant in a location that provides it with four to six hours of direct sunlight every day.

Soil

It is best that you plant heliotropes in very fertile soil. It also needs to drain very well. You can put a layer of mulch around the plant which will help retain more water. Make sure that you don't put the mulch too close to the plant that it restricts its growth.

Water

Your heliotrope plant will grow properly as long as you provide it with water on a weekly basis. However, if your area hasn't received a lot of rainfall during the week, you may need to water twice. Also, you should feed the plant a balanced fertilizer during every season except for winter.

Environment

It is best that you plant your heliotrope during the early stages of spring. Allow time for the last frost of the year to pass before you plant it. You will need to bring the plant inside during the winter months.

Bloom

Heliotrope plants bloom in the summer and fall. The plants have dark green foliage and purple flowers.

These are a few tips on caring for a heliotrope plant. Make sure that you plant it in well-drained and fertile soil. Although they turn their leaves to face the sun, make sure the heliotrope is placed in a location with four to six hours of direct sunlight.