The heliotrope plant (lat. Heliotropium) belongs to the genus of the Borage family, numbering about 300 plant species. Its representatives are subshrubs and herbaceous perennials growing in the Mediterranean and Americas - in the tropics, subtropics and temperate zones. The name of the plant consists of two Greek words, meaning “sun” and “rotation, turning” and reflects the way the flowers turn their heads after the sun. The heliotrope flower, which became a popular plant in gardens back in the 18th century due to its vanilla scent, is popularly called “lichen grass”, “dye litmus”, the French call it “herb of love”, the British call it “cherry pie”, and the Germans call it “cherry pie”. "God's grass" Heliotrope is in demand not only in floriculture, but also in the perfume industry, as well as in medicine. However, in order to grow heliotrope in your garden and achieve lush flowering from it, you will have to arm yourself with knowledge and make efforts.

Heliotrope flowers - description

The leaves of all types of heliotrope are obovate, alternate, dark green, pubescent, wavy or wrinkled, on short petioles. Small fragrant flowers of purple or dark blue color, collected in thick shields, contain valuable essential oil, due to which the aroma of heliotrope is still popular in perfume compositions. True, the stems of some species contain the poisonous alkaloid cynoglossin, and the seeds contain lasiocarpine, which can paralyze the central nervous system of humans and animals, but, as a rule, these species are not grown as garden crops. Each peduncle blooms for about a month. The fruit is a coenobium, which, when ripe, splits into four parts - erems, each of which contains small heliotrope seeds. Heliotrope can grow at home for several years, but in garden culture in our climatic conditions with cold winters, heliotrope is grown as an annual.

Growing heliotrope from seeds

Sowing heliotrope.
For those who want to know how to grow heliotrope from seeds, it is important to remember that it is better to buy heliotrope seeds in specialized stores, and you need to take only seeds from well-established brands, for example, Prestige, Search, Johnsons or Unwins Seeds - these companies guarantee quality and high grade of seed material. If you buy good seeds, then from the moment of germination, heliotrope from seeds will bloom in 12-16 weeks. Growing heliotrope from seeds collected by yourself can be a problem: they do not germinate well, and heliotropes grown from them bloom only towards the end of summer, and the bushes turn out to be different in height, and the inflorescences are too small.

It is best to sow heliotrope seedlings in late February or early March. Mix four parts of peat with one part of sand, steam this mixture to avoid infection of the seeds with fungal diseases, fill the bowl with the soil mixture, compact the soil with a plank, evenly scatter the heliotrope seeds over the surface and lightly sprinkle them on top with the same soil mixture - in a layer of no more than 1- 2 mm. Cover the bowl with glass to create a greenhouse effect and place in a warm place - 18-20 ºC. As soon as the shoots appear, and this will happen on the fifth, or maybe on the twentieth day, remove the glass and place the bowl on the windowsill. The optimal temperature for this stage of seedling development is 20-22 ºС. Seedlings do not need bright light; they develop normally without it.

Heliotrope seedlings.
After the seedlings have two true leaves, they need to be picked into individual pots with a diameter of 9 cm in the same soil mixture, after picking, the seedlings are watered. Two weeks after picking, young heliotropes are fed with seedling fertilizer.

Planting heliotrope

When to plant heliotrope.
Heliotrope is planted in open ground in early June, when the last night frosts have passed. To plant plants, choose a sunny place with fertile, loose, permeable soil, rich in humus.

How to plant heliotrope.
Manure and leaf humus are added to the heliotrope hole, the plants are carefully transferred from the pot to the hole and the hole is filled with garden soil, pressed around the seedling and watered.

Heliotrope - care

How to grow heliotrope.
Growing a heliotrope flower requires, first of all, proper soil moisture. Watering heliotrope is carried out as needed; in dry summers it is necessary to water more often. After watering, it is necessary to carefully loosen the soil between the bushes and remove weeds. If you have mulched the soil on your site, then you will have to loosen and weed the weeds much less often. How, by the way, to water. Once every two weeks, feed heliotrope with a complete complex fertilizer until active flowering begins.

Pests and diseases of heliotrope.
Heliotrope is damaged by spider mites, aphids and whiteflies. To combat these pests, plants are treated with Actellik. If the problem cannot be eliminated immediately, treatment with Actellik should be repeated after a week.

Sometimes the plant gets sick with gray rot. This is a fungal disease, which can only be gotten rid of in the initial stages by treating with a fungicide.

Properties of heliotrope.
In addition to its enchanting aroma, heliotrope has other wonderful properties: for example, it has long been used in folk medicine as an anthelmintic or a cure for kidney stones, as well as a means for removing warts and treating lichens. But due to the fact that heliotrope contains a dangerous alkaloid, the German federal health authorities, for example, even removed it from use. So be careful, and if you want to experience the healing effects of heliotrope preparations, consult your doctors first.

Heliotrope after flowering

How and when to collect heliotrope seeds.
As you can see, even a novice amateur gardener can plant and care for heliotrope. But the generative propagation of heliotrope, especially with seeds from your own garden, is a complex process and does not guarantee results - the seeds in our climate simply do not have time to ripen. Is it worth persisting in collecting seeds that will not produce good quality offspring? It is better to listen to our advice to buy seeds in a store and grow beautiful plants from them. But if you really want to try yourself as a breeder, then wait until the inflorescence not only withers, but dries and turns black, cut it off and look for the seeds in the boxes from which the flowers grew. Obtain the seeds, sort them carefully, dry them and store them in a cardboard box.

Heliotrope in winter.
Annual plants are usually destroyed in the fall so that the garden plot can be put in order - dug up and fertilized. But if you want to preserve heliotrope during the winter, dig up the mother part of the plant before the first frost, transplant it into a pot and bring it into the house, where it will grow and exude its magical aroma, provided that you provide it with additional lighting and a temperature within 15 -18 ºC. In the spring, you can take cuttings from the mother plant for rooting.

Types and varieties of heliotrope

Despite the huge number of natural types of heliotrope, only three are grown in culture: Peruvian or tree heliotrope (Heliotropium peruvianum, arborescens), which can be called the most common cultivated species, stem heliotrope (Heliotropium amplexicaulis) and corymbose heliotrope (Heliotropium corymbosum). The corymbose heliotrope is distinguished by larger flowers and not as wide leaves as the Peruvian one, and the corymbose heliotrope is a low-growing species.

Peruvian heliotrope, or tree heliotrope,
grows up to 60 cm in height, has pubescent, obovate, wrinkled leaves on short petioles, blue or purple flowers of dark shades are collected in inflorescences up to 10-15 cm in diameter. This species blooms profusely until frost. The most popular variety series is Marin with dark purple flowers and dark green leaves with a lilac tint. There are many varieties of this variety - Mini Marine, Dwarf Marine, Princess Marine, Marine Blue and others. Among other varieties of Peruvian heliotrope, the most compact varieties are known: Regal Dwarf and White Lady with pink flowers in buds that turn white when blooming.

Russians have been interested in heliotrope for a long time - these pretty flowers have been growing in gardens and front gardens for decades. Experienced flower growers believe that growing heliotrope is not associated with much trouble. It is enough to master agricultural technology once, and every year the process will be invariably successful.

Although the flower is simple in appearance, it has several features. Knowing them is necessary in order to better feel the plant, appreciate its qualities and grow it with love. Because heliotrope is sensitive to the degree of care.

Characteristics

So, meet:

• belongs to the borage family (there are more than 300 species in this family). It is noteworthy that in translation from Latin Heliotropium means “revolving behind the sun.” During daylight hours, flowers actually turn to follow the sunlight;
• can grow both in open ground and on open balconies;

• has an attractive “design” that pleases the eye of even the most discerning aesthetes (even in Tsarist Russia, heliotrope thickets served as decoration for greenhouses, gardens and parks);
• the flower comes from South America and was brought to Eurasia many centuries ago (therefore it has adapted perfectly and is not inclined to conflict with our climate). The first information about heliotrope was found in the Mediterranean, from where the flower later safely moved to more eastern regions;
• has a pronounced, thick sweet aroma (its strength depends on the variety, the most aromatic is “European”);
• in Russia it feels good outdoors from mid-spring to late summer.

IMPORTANT. Species diversity suggests that before starting to breed heliotrope, you should clarify what characteristics this particular variety has (bushiness, smell, exterior).

Appearance

Leaves:

• lanceolate (oblong, boat-shaped);
• base and apex pointed;
• the lower part is lighter than the upper;
• Green colour;
• the color is rich and uniform;
• dark green veins divide each leaf in half.

Inflorescences:

• on average 2.5-3 cm, the largest grow up to 10 cm;
• located on long legs;
• color - violet, lilac, purple, pink, yellowish-white, white, blue, light blue;

• They look like curls gathered into a corolla.

Plant height:

• some species grow up to 1.5 m;
• the average height of popular varieties is 35-60 cm, some varieties grow up to 1.0-1.2 m (“Kurassavsky”, “Shchitovidny”).

Preparing seedlings

As the experience of past decades shows, the cutting method used to be preferable:

• the flower had a growing season that was too long, which could not be ignored;
• a plant growing in open ground was dug up for the winter;
• was transferred to the house, where he had to be looked after all the cold months of the year;
• Every spring the cuttings were re-introduced into the soil.

IMPORTANT. Some floriculture fans still practice this method. However, he is too troublesome. For beginners, it is advisable to use high-quality seeds, which are sold in abundance through specialized stores.

How to choose seeds

As a result of deep research work, breeders:

• provided increased resistance of the plant to more severe climates (compared to the Mediterranean and South America);
• shortened the growing season;
• made it possible to grow heliotrope to a wider range of gardeners who had not yet reached the pinnacle of floriculture.

Planting seeds for seedlings

Heliotrope seeds are small. You have to work with them carefully and carefully.

Basic Rules:

• start planting in mid-February - early March (this is the deadline);

IMPORTANT. The later the seeds are sown, the higher the likelihood that the heliotrope will bloom towards the end of summer.

• buy special soil at a floriculture store (the correct composition is 4 parts non-acidic peat, 1 part sand);
• heat treatment of the soil is required - steam it in the oven or over high heat;

• then keep for at least 1 day at room temperature. This will protect the plant from fungal infections, which often harm early seedlings;

• plant the seeds in a slightly moist soil mixture;
• fill the seedling tank tightly and evenly (compact the soil as much as you can);
• sprinkle seeds on this soil;
• cover with a thin layer of earth on top, the thickness of the layer is literally 1.5-2 mm (some experts generally advise not to sprinkle earth on top of the seeds, arguing that the seeds have a great need for sunlight);

IMPORTANT. Sprinkling with soil still makes sense. This will protect the seeds from drying out.

• create a temperature regime ranging from 20 to 22 degrees Celsius;
• It would not be superfluous to cover the box with plastic film, glass or plastic;

• when the sprouts appear, move the box to the window - closer to the light, and much heat is no longer required.

Dive

When you are dealing with high-quality seed, seedlings will appear 6-15 days after planting in the box. But there are times when the seeds “slow down”:

• improper care leads to the fact that the seeds do not germinate on time and remain in the ground for 20 or even 30 days;
• in such cases, it is best not to take risks, but to make a new sowing 2 weeks after the first sowing (after all, let the ungerminated seeds germinate a little later, they will not bother you);
• after the plants have sprouted, the first leaves should appear in 15-17 days.

As soon as the sprouts have produced 2-3 leaves, plant the seedlings in separate containers:

• pots measuring 9x9 cm are ideal;

• if you use peat containers, it can be placed in the ground along with the seedlings;
• the soil for individual pots is the same as when sowing seeds;
• fill the pots above half (about 2/3 of the container level);
• carefully lower the sprout there;
• Gently sprinkle soil around the root and base of the stem;
• press the earth a little with your hands;
• pour water at room temperature;

• After 12-15 days, fertilize with organic matter (fertilizing can be purchased at a specialty store).

Landing in the ground

Success in growing heliotrope depends on the timing of planting in the ground, the quality of the soil, lighting, and also the wind rose:

• it is important that the transplant takes place no earlier than the first half of June. An exception is growing flowers on the balcony (in this case, you can transplant them into balcony boxes in early to mid-May);
• well-fertilized soil with humus is preferred;
• the landing site should be well lit;
• be sure to protect the heliotrope from the wind (the plant does not like drafts).

• place the seedlings at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other (this flower does not like crowding) - keep in mind that the flower will grow later;

• Sprinkle some wood ash at the bottom of the holes;

• water the seedlings at least 2 times a week;

IMPORTANT. During the dry season, increase the amount of water. Make sure that the soil at the roots does not dry out. However, flooding the plant is strictly prohibited. A slight moisture deficit is better than excess.

• Fertilize the soil every 2-3 weeks (alternate mineral and organic fertilizers).

Heliotrope care

If all the steps are followed correctly, around mid-June the heliotrope will bloom profusely and your flower beds will sparkle with bright colors. After all, you probably planted different varieties? A linear striped or ring planting looks very good: one color alternates with another.

• do not forget to remove dried flower stalks;
• this measure will help prolong the flowering of the bush;
• Regular watering, loosening and weeding will also increase the vitality of the plant and help the flowers stay on their legs longer.

Video - Growing heliotrope from seeds

Perennial option

As was said at the beginning of the article, the long-term option of growing heliotrope is quite troublesome. To get to know the flower well, it makes sense to start with annual seed planting. Give yourself at least a couple of years to master the technology perfectly.

But there is also a very specific way to grow perennial heliotrope:

• when growing an annual plant, of course, the onset of the first frost does not worry the grower - after all, the dead flowers will be disposed of for compost anyway;
• for a perennial it is much more important to be in time before frost - the plant should in no case be damaged;
• trim the bushes in advance almost to the root (this should be done around the beginning of October);

• leave in this form for a week and a half (so that during this time the cut stems dry out a little);
• dig up the roots (leave a ball of earth on them);
• place in pots and sprinkle with peat;
• lower them into a cellar or basement, where the plants will be perfectly preserved until next spring.

IMPORTANT. The storage temperature should not be lower than plus 14-16 degrees.

The following year, heliotrope roots overwintered in peat:

• remove from the cellar or basement in the first half (with a guarantee that the frost has passed);
• first moisten a little;
• stand in the open air for a couple of days;
• plant in the same holes or in a new place (sprinkling the bottom of the planting holes with wood ash);
• Sprinkle with soil and water with cold water.

Heliotropes feel the grower's love well. In those gardens where this flower has taken root on the first or second attempt, it will grow safely every year, and so on for decades. It is preferable not to change the location of the flowerbed and not to experiment, but to create one permanent place for it - one where the flower has enough moisture, light, heat and calm.

Heliotrope (lat. Heliotropium) belongs to the genus of the Borage family, numbering about 300 plant species. In order to grow heliotrope in your garden and achieve lush flowering from it, you will have to arm yourself with knowledge and make efforts. The leaves of all types of heliotrope are obovate, alternate, dark green, pubescent, wavy or wrinkled, on short petioles. Small fragrant flowers of purple or dark blue color, collected in thick shields, contain valuable essential oil, due to which the aroma of heliotrope is still popular in perfume compositions. Each peduncle blooms for about a month. The fruit is a coenobium, which, when ripe, splits into four parts - erems, each of which contains small heliotrope seeds. Heliotrope can grow at home for several years, but in garden culture. in our climatic conditions with cold winters, heliotrope is grown as an annual.

Heliotrope growing from seeds

It is better to buy heliotrope seeds in specialized stores, and you need to take only seeds from well-established brands that guarantee the quality and high grade of seed material. If you buy good seeds, then from the moment of germination, heliotrope from seeds will bloom in 12-16 weeks. Growing heliotrope from seeds collected by yourself can be a problem: they do not germinate well, and heliotropes grown from them bloom only towards the end of summer, and the bushes turn out to be different in height, and the inflorescences are too small.

It is best to sow heliotrope seedlings in late February or early March. Mix four parts of peat with one part of sand, steam this mixture to avoid infection of the seeds with fungal diseases, fill the bowl with the soil mixture, compact the soil with a plank, scatter heliotrope seeds evenly over the surface and lightly sprinkle them on top with the same soil mixture - in a layer of no more than 1- 2 mm. Cover the bowl with glass to create a greenhouse effect and place in a warm place – 18-20 ºC. As soon as the shoots appear, and this will happen on the fifth, or maybe on the twentieth day, remove the glass and place the bowl on the windowsill. The optimal temperature for this stage of seedling development is 20-22 ºС. Seedlings do not need bright light; they develop normally without it.

After the seedlings have two true leaves, they need to be picked into individual pots with a diameter of 9 cm in the same soil mixture; after picking, the seedlings are watered. Two weeks after picking, young heliotropes are fed with seedling fertilizer.

Heliotrope planting in open ground

When to plant heliotrope. Heliotrope is planted in open ground in early June, when the last night frosts have passed. To plant plants, choose a sunny place with fertile, loose, permeable soil, rich in humus.

How to plant heliotrope. Manure and leaf humus are added to the heliotrope hole, the plants are carefully transferred from the pot to the hole and the hole is filled with garden soil, pressed around the seedling and watered.

Heliotrope care in open ground

Growing a heliotrope flower requires, first of all, proper soil moisture. Watering heliotrope is carried out as needed; in dry summers it is necessary to water more often. After watering, it is necessary to carefully loosen the soil between the bushes and remove weeds. If you have mulched the soil on your site, then you will have to loosen and weed the weeds much less often. How, by the way, to water. Feed heliotrope once every two weeks with a complete complex fertilizer until active flowering begins.

Heliotrope care after flowering

How and when to collect heliotrope seeds. As you can see, even a novice amateur gardener can plant and care for heliotrope. But the generative propagation of heliotrope, especially with seeds from your own garden, is a complex process and does not guarantee results - the seeds simply do not have time to ripen in our climate. Is it worth persisting in collecting seeds that will not produce good quality offspring? It is better to listen to our advice to buy seeds in a store and grow beautiful plants from them. But if you really want to try yourself as a breeder, then wait until the inflorescence not only withers, but dries and turns black, cut it off and look for the seeds in the boxes from which the flowers grew. Obtain the seeds, sort them carefully, dry them and store them in a cardboard box.

Annual plants are usually destroyed in the fall so that the garden plot can be tidied up - dug up and fertilized. But if you want to preserve heliotrope during the winter, dig up the mother part of the plant before the first frost, transplant it into a pot and bring it into the house, where it will grow and exude its magical aroma, provided that you provide it with additional lighting and a temperature within 15 -18 ºC. In the spring, you can take cuttings from the mother plant for rooting.

Heliotrope diseases and pests

Heliotrope is damaged by spider mites, aphids and whiteflies. To combat these pests, plants are treated with Actellik. If the problem cannot be eliminated immediately, treatment with Actellik should be repeated after a week.

Sometimes the plant gets sick with gray rot. This is a fungal disease, which can only be gotten rid of in the initial stages by treating with a fungicide.

Heliotrope varieties and types

Despite the huge number of natural types of heliotrope, only three are grown in culture: Peruvian or tree heliotrope (Heliotropium peruvianum, arborescens), which can be called the most common cultivated species, stem heliotrope (Heliotropium amplexicaulis) and corymbose heliotrope (Heliotropium corymbosum). The corymbose heliotrope is distinguished by larger flowers and not as wide leaves as the Peruvian one, and the corymbose heliotrope is a low-growing species.

Peruvian heliotrope, or heliotrope tree, grows up to 60 cm in height, has pubescent, obovate, wrinkled leaves on short petioles, blue or purple flowers of dark shades are collected in inflorescences up to 10-15 cm in diameter. This species blooms profusely until frost. The most popular varietal series is "Marin" with dark purple flowers and dark green leaves with a lilac tint. There are many varieties of this variety - “Mini Marine”, “Dwarf Marine”, “Princess Marine”, “Marin Blue” and others. Among other varieties of Peruvian heliotrope, the most compact variety "Regal Dwarf" and the variety "White Lady" with pink flowers in buds, which turn white when blooming, are known.

Where to buy heliotrope seeds

The scientific and production association “Gardens of Russia” has been introducing the latest achievements in the selection of vegetable, fruit, berry and ornamental crops into the widespread practice of amateur gardening for 30 years. The association uses the most modern technologies and has created a unique laboratory for microclonal propagation of plants. The main tasks of the NPO "Gardens of Russia" is to provide gardeners with high-quality planting material of popular varieties of various garden plants and new world selections. Delivery of planting material (seeds, bulbs, seedlings) is carried out by Russian Post. We are waiting for you to shop:

“Sun worshiper” heliotrope is again at the peak of popularity among our flower growers! It has been cultivated for a long time and is popular not only as a decorative flower, but also as a raw material for the perfume industry, thanks to the vanilla aroma characteristic of its flowers.

Its name means “turning behind the sun.” This is a perennial herbaceous plant up to 1.5 meters high in nature and 40-60 cm in cultivated form. There are about 300 species of heliotrope, but only a few are present in cultivation. The homeland of the flower is considered to be the Mediterranean and both Americas, although it grows wherever there is sun, even in temperate climate zones. In our climate it is grown as an annual due to cold winters.

Heliotrope belongs to the borage family and is a shrub with large, slightly wrinkled, pubescent dark green leaves. They are also decorative, like its flowers. Small, collected in dense corymbose inflorescences, the flowers are naturally dark blue or purple. But breeders could not ignore such an attractive plant and bred blue and white heliotrope.

The most popular types and varieties of heliotrope and photographs of flowers

Of the many types of heliotrope, only a few are grown in culture. From the most popular ones, breeders have developed new hybrid varieties.

Peruvian (tree-like)

This is the most common species in cultural breeding. It is a spreading bush 40-60 cm high. Dark purple or deep blue, very fragrant flowers are collected in inflorescences up to 15 cm in diameter. Peruvian heliotrope is distinguished by long-lasting (until frost) and abundant flowering. The most popular hybrid varieties are the Marin series:

• Mini Marin is a low-growing variety - 20-25 cm, a characteristic feature is the color of the leaves - green with a purple tint;
• Black Beauty - the color of the flowers is purple, they have a strong vanilla aroma. This is perhaps the most fragrant heliotrope;
• Dwarf Marin - dark blue flowers, plant height about 35 cm;
• Princess Marina - has a faint aroma and is about 30 cm high.

Photo. Peruvian or tree heliotrope

Corymbose

Plants of this species are the tallest, they can grow up to 120 cm. The elongated lanceolate leaves are boat-shaped. The upper part of the leaves is slightly darker than the lower part. The flowers are blue or dark blue, the length of the inflorescence is up to 10 cm. The flowering period is long - from early summer to late autumn

European

Despite the name, it grows not only in the Mediterranean regions, but also in South America. A low plant - 30-40 cm - with a branching stem, oblong leaves of light or yellow-green color. The curls that form the flowers turn into thick and lush inflorescences as they grow. Blooms from May to August.

Photo. Heliotrope European

Kurasavsky

Spreading, rather tall bush. Its volume can reach 120 cm, and its height – 60-100 cm. Pale, bluish-white flowers form an inflorescence on a strong, long peduncle.

Stem-encompassing

This is a low-growing type of heliotrope, not very popular among gardeners. It has long lanceolate leaves with wavy edges and purple flowers.

To grow heliotrope from seeds, it is best to purchase them from reputable companies

To grow a healthy, complete plant from seeds, it is better to use purchased seeds. Every gardener knows which manufacturers sell quality seeds. As for heliotrope, it is better to purchase its seeds from Johnsons, Search or Prestige.

When growing heliotrope from your own seeds, you need to be prepared for the fact that young plants most likely will not retain the decorative qualities of the mother plant.

Seeds are not planted in open ground, because the plant does not have time to bloom - 80-100 days pass from germination to the beginning of flowering. Therefore, it is planted in the flowerbed only in the form of seedlings.

Sowing seeds

You can start sowing heliotrope seeds in February-March. A substrate of 4 parts peat and 1 part sand must be steamed or calcined to kill the fungal infection. Pour the finished soil into a bowl, level it and compact it a little. Heliotrope seeds are very small, so they are either simply scattered over the surface of the soil or lightly dusted on top.

The planted seeds are covered with glass or film and placed in a room with a temperature of 18-20°C. As soon as the seeds hatch, the glass is removed and they are left to grow further at a temperature of 20-22°C. At the stage of 2-3 leaves, they are planted in separate containers and watered. Feeding begins after 12-15 days, using special fertilizer for seedlings.

Important! When germinating seeds, do not forget to lightly moisten the soil in the greenhouse by spraying and provide the seedlings with an increase in daylight hours to 10 hours.

Planting heliotrope in open ground

Heliotrope is planted in open ground after frost ends.

The time to plant seedlings in a flowerbed comes after the end of return frosts - in our latitudes this is the beginning of June.

Choosing a landing site. Heliotrope is a sunny plant, which means the place for it should be open and bright, but not in the scorching sun. If the soil is very wet, the plant may die, so avoid planting sites in lowlands or near water bodies.

The soil. The most suitable soil will be breathable, fertile soil with a high humus content. Loamy, heavy soil can be lightened by adding peat and sand.

How to plant heliotrope seedlings correctly. The holes for seedlings need to be prepared by adding a mixture of leaf soil and humus. Seedlings are transplanted only by transshipment without disturbing the earthen coma. The top of the hole around the seedlings is sprinkled with humus. Due to the branching nature of adult plants, the planting pattern should be 30 x 30 cm.

Important! Do not neglect spraying both planted seedlings and adult plants. Heliotrope loves water treatments very much.

Caring for heliotrope plants in open ground

Some gardeners consider heliotrope to be a capricious plant. However, this is not quite true. The main thing is to adapt to watering it correctly. On the one hand, it is quite moisture-loving, on the other hand, it does not tolerate excess water at all. Therefore, you need to constantly monitor soil moisture. As soon as it dries out a little, it means watering is necessary.

The main thing in caring for heliotrope is to monitor soil moisture.

You can significantly simplify plant care by mulching the soil around it with compost or peat. This will make it possible to loosen the soil less often (and this is a necessary procedure that prevents the formation of crust on the ground), weed less often and reduce watering.

Important! If you want to achieve more luxuriant flowering, pinch the shoots from time to time.

Top dressing

Until the heliotrope has entered the active flowering stage, it needs to be fed 2 times a month with complex mineral fertilizers such as “Ideal”. In the future they can be stopped.

If you have set out to propagate heliotrope, it is better to do it with cuttings. To do this, you need to save it for the winter, because it is almost impossible to get cuttings from an annual plant growing in the garden.

Heliotrope is quite difficult to propagate

So, choose the strongest, well-flowering plant, dig it up, replant it in a pot and place it at home. The winter temperature for it should not be higher than 15-18°C. A tropical plant in winter requires an extension of daylight hours to 10 hours.

Important! If the temperature is higher than specified, the shoots will be weak and elongated.

By the end of January - beginning of February, select the strongest young shoot, cut it and divide it into cuttings. The sections are treated with root and planted in pots. Just like adult plants, they need additional lighting.

Diseases, pests and what drugs to use for control

Actellik can be used against aphids and other pests.

Heliotrope can be affected by fungal diseases. In this case, treatment with fungicides will help. For pests - aphids, whiteflies and spider mites - you need to use an insecticide, for example, Actellik. You may need to treat the plant twice, a week apart.

After flowering, how and when to collect seeds

After flowering ends, heliotropes are usually dug up and thrown away. But if you still want to propagate it by seeds, collect them before digging up the plant. Harvesting can begin when the wilted flowers turn black. In their place, seed pods form, which you need to carefully collect. The seeds extracted from them are sorted, dried and stored until spring in a paper envelope or in a matchbox.

Heliotrope in winter

Usually it is not saved for the winter, but after the end of flowering it is removed in order to dig up the flowerbed before winter. But if you don’t want to part with your favorite flower, even for a few months, you can dig it up, plant it in a flowerpot and move it home for the winter. In the apartment, provide him with a temperature of 15-18° and long daylight hours. Under these conditions, it will continue to bloom and delight you. In spring it can be returned to the flowerbed again.

In landscape design and combination with other plants

Back in the 19th century, heliotropes decorated the parks and gardens of noble estates. You can give this style to your garden plot. In the garden, heliotrope is often planted as borders, used to make carpet beds, and combined with other plants in group plantings. Rudbeckias, petunias, begonias, and pelargoniums are perfect companions. It is important that these are low-growing flowers that will not block the heliotrope from sunlight.

Heliotrope looks good in single flowerpots

In single flowerpots it can be grown as an elegant standard tree.

Heliotrope at home

It can be grown quite successfully at home as a perennial plant. They care for it in the same way as for garden heliotrope. Planting and propagation are similar. Only Peruvian heliotrope is grown at home.

The difference is that the flower is kept at a temperature of 22-25°C in summer, and 5-6°C in winter. Homemade heliotrope is fed during the entire flowering period - from May to August with complex fertilizers for flowering plants. When growing heliotrope at home, you need to take into account the constant aroma emitted by the plant. It is important that you are not allergic to it.

It will also be useful to watch a video on this heliotrope plant, we wish you pleasant viewing.

Heliotrope flowers, like sunflower heads, always face the sun. Having followed him in a circle, by morning the inflorescences again look east, waiting for sunrise.

Actually, the name “heliotrope” is translated from Greek – “following the sun.” The gallant French call it the herb of love, and the British call it cherry pie, which cannot be baked without vanilla, and the smell of heliotrope is so similar to vanilla.

THE GENESIS OF SUN WORSHIPERS

It is curious how the ancient Greeks told the story of the appearance of heliotrope. The nymph Clytia fell in love with the sun god Helios. He did not reciprocate her feelings, choosing Princess Leukotha. Out of jealousy, Clytia destroyed her by slandering her before her father. Then Helios returned to heaven, and the nymph fell to the ground and sobbed inconsolably until her death, not taking her eyes off the sky and following her lover’s chariot. The gods forgave the girl and turned her into a heliotrope flower.

However, scientists are not so romantic; they attributed heliotrope to the borage family. Its closest relatives are forget-me-not, lungwort, brunnera, comfrey, borage. The genus itself, according to various experts, contains from 200 to 300 species of annual and perennial plants growing in fairly warm regions of both hemispheres. They can be found in the Mediterranean, Central Asia, and South America. Australia. Many types of heliotrope grow as weeds, including in the south of the European part of Russia and the Caucasus, weeding wheat and barley crops. Some of them contain poisonous alkaloids in seeds, stems, and leaves.

In the nature of Europe, prostrate heliotrope is found with small but very fragrant flowers and ascending shoots up to 20 cm long. European heliotrope was once used in folk medicine. It is found throughout the Mediterranean, as well as in our south, where it is called lichen herb because decoctions of the leaves were used to treat lichens and remove warts. This is an annual with small white fragrant flowers, collected at the tops of the stem in thick curls.

Of all the species diversity, 3 shrub species of heliotrope, originating from South America, are grown as ornamental ones. It is a stem-encompassing - low-growing perennial with a straight, branched stem and yellow tubular flowers; corymbose (corymbose) - a powerful and dense subshrub up to 1.2 m high with fragrant blue flowers collected in dense panicles; Peruvian (Peruvian), growing up to 2 m, with purple inflorescences. scented with vanilla. The first two species are practically not grown in our conditions and are of no interest to summer residents, but the third species - the most common and famous - is the hero of our story.

The first mention of heliotrope found by scientists dates back to 1452. A century later, botanists describedHeliotropium is a fragrant plant with dark purple flowers, from which a coloring substance has been isolated. This dye, called litmus, became widely used by chemists as an indicator; in an acidic environment it was red, and in an alkaline environment it was blue.

In French, litmus is still called tournesol, which translates as “turning after the sun.”

VANILLA FLOWERS

Peruvian heliotrope, also known as tree heliotrope, is a native of the Peruvian Andes, where it grows at an altitude of approximately 500 m above sea level, in tropical forests, preferring wet sandy river beds. In nature, it is a perennial lush subshrub (only the lower part becomes lignified) up to 2 m high. The branches end in inflorescences of small purple flowers, the aroma of which does not seem cloying or intrusive, but calms and pacifies. It was once grown in gardens for its wonderful aroma - heliotrope is considered one of the most fragrant plants.

In temperate climates, this plant does not overwinter in open ground and is grown either as an annual or as an indoor flower. Its stem is hard, pubescent, dark brown. The leaves are alternate, rich green in color, sometimes with a purple tint, large, on short petioles, as if crumpled, wrinkled, as the old encyclopedia figuratively describes them, “with veins pressed in from above.” Their surface is slightly pubescent with small fibers.

Heliotrope flowers contain valuable essential oil, which is included in many perfumes. Notes of heliotrope are present in the fragrances Dolce Vita from Dior, Roete from Lancôme...

Flowering begins in June and, gradually gaining strength, lasts all summer, ending only with the first frost. In varietal heliotropes, large lush inflorescences cover the plants with caps 10-15 cm in diameter, sometimes so densely that the leaves are almost invisible.

OLD LOVE

Heliotrope has long been attributed magical properties, considered a talisman. Roman legionaries, going on long campaigns, hung amulets around their necks - rags with roots and plant seeds wrapped in them, including heliotrope. It was believed that the plant, picked on the full moon, dried and then burned, protected the home from misfortunes and evil spirits. It was suspected that witches added heliotrope to the ointment, which made them invisible and allowed them to fly. According to legends, if you need to see prophetic dreams, it will be enough to hide this flower under the pillow, and to attract wealth and money, put it in your pocket or wallet. Heliotrope is also one of the 12 magical plants of the Rosicrucian Order.

Peruvian heliotrope came to Europe in the middle of the 18th century, and was soon introduced

and to Russia, where it fell in love very much, becoming a traditional flower of Russian estates. Evidence of this is the letters of A. S. Pushkin, the novels of I. S. Turgenev, the poems of Igor Severyanin and Vladimir Nabokov, the stories of Ivan Shmelev, the memoirs of Ivan Bunin. A.P. Chekhov was a great admirer of heliotrope. He decorated the flower beds in Melikhovo with them, planting them between the rose bushes.

By the beginning of the 20th century, there were several dozen varieties. The Anna Turel variety, which was considered indispensable for creating floral parterres, was extremely popular. At that time, predominantly dark purple heliotropes were common, which were propagated from cuttings from year to year. In winter they were kept in rooms or greenhouses, in the spring they were rooted in greenhouses, and in June they were transplanted into flower beds.

However, the turbulent twentieth century was not very suitable for the leisurely cultivation of heliotrope, and it left along with balsam, gillyflower, lacfiol and mignonette, remaining only in memories.

By the middle of the last century, they practically stopped planting it in our country. The place of the fragrant beauty was taken by other ornamental plants, which were much easier to propagate.

RETURN IN A NEW LOOK

Today, after decades of oblivion, heliotrope returns to us again, but already transformed. In many ways, this is a different plant, the changes are striking: European selection does not stand still, it gave us hybrids. They were obtained by crossing different species, mainly Peruvian and corymbose heliotropes.

Modern heliotropes can grow and bloom like regular houseplants in winter and be grown in the garden in summer. And, what is very important, seed propagation has become possible: many varieties are quite easy to grow from seeds, like other annuals. The development period has become shorter - seedlings bloom 12-16 weeks after emergence, and with early sowing they bloom all summer. This is a very great achievement, because the old varieties of heliotrope, when propagated by seeds, bloomed only by August.

Hybrid varieties are more stable, unpretentious, the plants are leveled in height, and have large inflorescences of various colors. The palette of shades has expanded to include tones from white to purple, even two-color heliotropes have been introduced.

The Alba variety is decorated with white caps; White Lady has pink flowers in buds, and when they fully bloom, they become white. Black Beauty, Wil Morine Warne-ti, Chatsworth and compact Job captivate with dark purple flowers. The short Regal Dwarf bears fragrant, very large dark blue inflorescences. Florence Nightingale is the owner of a rare pink color for heliotrope. Baby Blue is distinguished not only by its strong aroma, but also by its rich lilac-violet color. Lord Roberts is a compact hybrid with blue flowers and rich purple-green foliage. Aurea attracts attention with its bright golden yellow leaves.

But, as they say, there was also a fly in the ointment: during the selection process, many modern heliotropes have largely lost their wonderful aroma, for which they were so valued. Their ancestors were much more fragrant

What varieties can you buy from us? Unfortunately, with all the abundance of varieties created to date, only a few are available to us so far. The most popular is the hybrid variety series (group of varieties) called Marin. The plants do not exceed 50 cm in height, the inflorescence is dark purple and large, but, unfortunately, its smell is weak and the percentage of fragrant plants is small.

In the same line is a miniature bright blue Dwarf Marin, who is also found under the translated name Sea Dwarf. When grown in a pot, its height is 25-30 cm, in open ground 30-35 cm. The blue-violet Mini Marine is also short, it holds its shape well due to its dense and short stems, it has beautiful dark green leaves with a purple tint. Princess Marin has a compact bush, up to 30 cm high, the caps of inflorescences are intensely violet-blue in color, the smell is weak, but the percentage of fragrant plants is high.

Quite a lot of fragrant plants with a pleasant sweet aroma and deep blue inflorescences are produced by Marine Blue, which grows up to 45 cm. And another interesting representative of the series is Cherry Pie Marine, quite tall, fragrant, with large blue caps.

Of the other varieties we sell, we should mention Sea Breeze, which is considered the most unpretentious. It is equally suitable for indoor growing and gardening. Height up to 45 cm, inflorescences dense, voluminous, 10-12 cm wide, color very bright, violet-blue. The leaves are dark green with a purple tint. Differs in the earliest flowering.

In English, heliotrope is also a designation for a shade of purple, just as, say, we call fuchsia a shade of purple.

ROOM LILAC

This is what heliotrope is sometimes called in everyday life, aptly highlighting the similarities: a wonderful aroma and a lilac-violet hue of lush inflorescences. For indoor floriculture, Peruvian heliotrope is quite suitable, but hybrid heliotrope is even more suitable. It does not suffer when grown in a limited amount of soil and blooms for a particularly long time: it can finish flowering in late autumn, and bloom again in January.

As a home flower, heliotrope can grow for several years, although the bushes will be shorter, 25-30 cm, the foliage and inflorescences will be lighter, and the aroma will be weaker than that of the same plant in the garden.

You can grow heliotrope yourself from seeds or cuttings; it’s even easier to buy a ready-made flower. Such varieties as Vilmorins Variety, Lord Roberts, Marine Blue, White Lady, are usually propagated by cuttings commercially and sold as potted plants.

We are sure that you already want to get to know heliotrope better, but you don’t know how to do it. We suggest you start with seeds. We sowed, raised seedlings, planted them in a flower garden, and in the fall they transplanted them into beautiful pots and decorated the window sills, and sent the plants to rest in the winter. In the spring, they cut off the shoots, rooted them, transplanted them into the garden, and everything can be repeated again. Now let's talk about this in more detail.

HELIOTROPE SEEDS

In the middle zone you can collect your seeds only in warm autumn, because they ripen in October. But you shouldn’t bother collecting them - the seeds of second-generation hybrid plants produce heterogeneous offspring, often with small scattered inflorescences, which bloom by the end of summer. Only if you want to experiment, you should choose completely dried and blackened inflorescences, cut them off and dry them. Then rub with your hands, remove the seeds from the boxes and store in a paper bag.

Fans of heliotrope consider English seeds to be the best; they are also available for sale here.

According to breeders, most modern heliotropes retain their characteristics when propagated by seeds. However, there is one obstacle. Unfortunately, we have to admit that the seeds we sell are not of high quality. It happens that they of the same variety (and even from the same bag!) form plants that differ from each other in appearance, color of flowers, and strength of aroma. The only thing that remains is to choose the specimens you like among the grown heliotropes and then, using cuttings, breed them.

If the seeds have not sprouted in 2-3 weeks, it is better not to wait for seedlings, because only weak plants can appear so late, you will have to repeat the sowing.

SOWING HELIOTROPE

Heliotrope seeds are small and round. They are sown in late February-early March. You can do it earlier, but then you can’t do without additional lighting. If you sow later, the seedlings will find themselves in better conditions, but they will not have time to really please you with flowering in the open pound. But for growing as a houseplant, late sowing is quite acceptable.

Usually there are a lot of seeds in a bag, so we advise you to divide them into 2 parts so that if unsuccessful, repeat the sowing, using different soil and slightly changing the growing conditions. It happens that the remainder of the seeds from last year produces better seedlings than new seeds.

The substrate is prepared by mixing peat and sand (4:1) or garden soil (turf, leaf), sand, peat (1:1:2). The usual universal flower soil from the store is also quite suitable. Compost is not added, since at this stage there is no need for particularly nutritious soil.

The soil mixture should be disinfected in some way: frozen in advance, steamed in the oven, or treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or phytosporin-M (the paste of the drug is first diluted with water 1:2, then 1 teaspoon of the resulting substance is dissolved in 5 liters of water). Then the soil mixture is compacted, the surface is leveled, and watered well.

The seeds are sown superficially; you can lightly press them to the ground or sprinkle them with a thin layer of sifted soil (only 1-2 mm) so that they do not dry out. Then the crops are covered with glass or placed in a plastic bag - the mini-greenhouse is ready. Sprout at a temperature of 21-24 degrees, water with settled water at room temperature, light is not needed yet. Seedlings emerge unevenly.

After the sprouts form, they begin to slowly open the greenhouse, lower the temperature to 18 degrees so that the seedlings do not grow too pampered, and place them on a bright windowsill. It wouldn't hurt to light it up additionally. The humidity of the substrate is reduced by watering frequently, but little by little, or by spraying, then there will definitely not be flooding.

SEEDLING CARE.

At first, the seedlings grow extremely slowly. When they acquire two true leaves, the best plants are planted in small containers (100 ml is enough) in the same soil mixture. Before this operation, the soil is well watered. Seedlings are picked up with a small spoon containing a lump of soil. Hold by the stem or leaves, do not touch the roots with your hands. In pots they are buried down to the cotyledon leaves. If the kids had a hard time with the transplant, remove the pots from the windowsill, cover them with a bag and keep them there until the roots grow and the elasticity of the leaves is restored. After transplantation, the seedlings quickly pick up their growth rate. Therefore, after 2 weeks it is fed with any highly diluted complex fertilizer (25-30 g per 10 liters of water).

Sometimes seedlings begin to bush on their own, very early, almost from the cotyledon leaves, but usually, in order for side shoots to develop, the top needs to be pinched, which is done above the 2-3rd pair of leaves. After this, the stem thickens, the plants become strong and stable.

From the end of April, seedlings begin to be hardened off by placing them on a balcony or terrace. At the beginning of June, if the weather is warm, the bushes are planted in the ground and wait for flowering.

REPRODUCTION OF HELIOTROPE BY CUTTINGS

It is easier to propagate heliotrope by cuttings than by seeds, and such plants bloom a little earlier. Fragrant, abundantly flowering bushes are chosen as mother plants. They can be used for several years; old mother plants are less capricious, withstand wintering better and produce many cuttings of good quality. It is better to grow them directly in pots, replacing the soil annually.

In the summer, the bushes are taken out into the fresh air and returned to the house in the fall. In winter, they will have to be kept for longer, overcoming the same difficulties that arise when growing heliotrope as a houseplant. We will talk about this in the section on growing potted heliotrope. Let us only note that for mother plants intended for cuttings, beauty is not at all important, so dropping all the leaves, which sometimes happens, is not a cause for alarm.

In winter, plants are kept at a temperature of 8-12 degrees. Due to too high a temperature and lack of light, the heliotrope becomes too elongated and does not produce good cuttings.

From the end of February you can start cuttings. Both semi-lignified and green cuttings are suitable, but the latter root faster. The side branches are removed entirely and cut so that each cutting has at least 2-3 internodes. The leaves are plucked off, leaving 1-2 top leaves. It is advisable to treat the sections with root formation stimulants (indolylbutyric acid, rootin, heteroauxin).

To speed up the emergence of seedlings, the seeds can be moistened or soaked in a solution of zircon or epin in advance. It is practiced to germinate seeds on a damp cloth, hydrogel, or in vermiculite.

The cuttings are rooted in boxes filled with a mixture of peat and sand, sand is poured on top, in a layer of 1-1.5 cm, vermiculite can be added to the soil. The soil mixture is disinfected. After planting the cuttings, the boxes are covered with film. The temperature is 15-16 degrees.

The first week is shaded, then transferred to a bright place. Monitor the soil moisture, water at the roots, it is useful to add zircon to the water, it activates the formation of the root system, often spray and ventilate. Roots appear in 3-4 weeks, and even earlier if the substrate is heated below (on a warm windowsill).

Cuttings can be rooted all spring and even all summer, but then the beginning of flowering will be delayed. When growing heliotrope as a house flower, this is quite acceptable, but not so for the garden.

Now it’s time to plant the cuttings in small individual pots. Here you need a more nutritious substrate, for example, peat, turf soil and sand (4:2:1) with the addition of complete mineral fertilizer (1 tablespoon per 10 kg of soil). If necessary, transfer to large pots is carried out several times. As they grow, the bushes are pinched several times. They are planted in the garden in early June, that is, at the same time as plants from seeds. After one and a half to two weeks, they begin feeding with solutions of complex fertilizers (10-15 g per 10 liters of water).

Many people succeed well in growing seedlings from seeds and cuttings in peat humus tablets. They must first be very well saturated with water, and then placed in a transparent plastic container with a lid, and that under a lamp. When the roots break through the protective mesh of the tablet, the mesh is removed, and the plants along with the tablet are transplanted into small containers.

HELIOTROPE IN THE HOME AND GARDEN

In the garden, heliotrope is planted so that you can enjoy its aroma: near the terrace, open veranda, gazebo and other recreation areas. It is good in single plantings, say, against the background of a lawn, and in any garden composition.

Both in the flower garden and in the window, the Peruvian beauty does not require any complex care, but will be grateful for attention to its needs so that there are no sudden temperature changes, drying out of the soil or flooding.

HELIOTROPE IS A GARDEN DECORATION

Heliotrope prefers soils that are deeply cultivated, loose, permeable to water and air, rich in organic matter, with a neutral reaction. On heavy soil the bush will not die, but it will not grow beautiful either, since the root

the system will develop poorly. When preparing the site, peat and humus are added, and a lot, 2 buckets per 1 m2.

Choose warm, sunny places for planting. Light shadow from other plants does not interfere, but with a strong lack of light, the shoots stretch, become thin and weak, and are easily broken by the wind. The flowers are small and pale, flowering occurs later, and may not occur at all. The optimal summer temperature is 18-25 degrees.

Seedlings, purchased or grown with your own hands, are planted when the ground warms up well, maintaining a distance of 25-30 cm, because seedlings grow widely. They grow up to half a meter in height in the middle zone, and up to a meter or more in the southern regions.

When planting, add a handful of humus to the holes. The plants are carefully removed from the pots, trying not to destroy the earthen lump, immersed in the hole, squeezed, and watered. If the weather is hot, shade the first week and maintain constant soil moisture. After 2 weeks, the plants will take root, then it will be possible to water less often when the top layer of soil dries, but still more often than other plants, such heliotropes are water-drinkers. At the same time, do not forget that heliotrope does not tolerate waterlogging or flooding, but loves high air humidity, so if possible, it is useful to spray it in hot weather, but this should be done early in the morning or in the evening to avoid burns.

After rain, the soil is loosened and weeds are removed. If you mulch it, you can make life easier for yourself and improve it for your plants. Heavy bushes covered with caps of flowers have to be tied to a support so as not to be broken by the wind in bad weather.

Once every 2 weeks, feed with a solution of any complex fertilizer (15-20 g per 10 liters of water), alternating mineral water with an infusion of organic matter (grass, mullein). The more you feed the plant, the more magnificent the flowering will be.

Caps of inflorescences appear in June, flowering gains strength in July-August. If you cut off the faded inflorescences in time, the heliotrope actively bushes and blooms on new side shoots until October, as long as the weather permits. But in the fall it is usually not so good, the first cold dew spoils its beauty: the flowers turn brown, spots appear on the leaves.

The best bushes can be dug up and taken into the house; we recommend doing this in September so as not to risk it. In addition, this will make it easier for the plant to adapt to indoor conditions. Before digging, the inflorescences and part of the leaves are removed, and a clod of earth with a diameter of 20-25 cm is carefully cut out, being careful not to destroy it. placed in a deep pot and left until spring. With its onset, cuttings are taken, rooted and planted in the garden in June.

In a flower garden, heliotrope goes well with almost all ornamental plants, so there is no limit to the flight of imagination. Anyone can feel like an artist by combining the rich purple hue of heliotrope with other colors. Planting it next to roses has always been considered a classic, but it is not forbidden to experiment and get bright contrasting combinations by choosing red salvia, golden coreopsis or orange marigolds for company.

A combination with delicately colored tones of petunia, astilbe, garden geranium, and begonias looks more calm and harmonious. An elegant pair will be white verbena and white alyssum.

The rich tone of heliotrope flowers can be diluted by planting plants with silver leaves nearby: cineraria, angustifolia lavender, wormwood or variegated hosta. Or you can create a composition in blue-violet tones, combining lobelia, clematis and even basil.

Low-growing heliotrope looks very good in garden vases, plant pots, hanging baskets, containers, balcony boxes, especially in company with other lush flowering annuals, just don’t forget about watering. Fertilizer sticks or special granular fertilizers for container plants will provide nutrition for the entire season.

WINDOW SILL DECORATION

Respecting the tropical origin of heliotrope, it is provided with enough light, moisture and warmth; these are the main components of care; without them, you cannot grow a good bush at home.

The main difficulty in growing heliotrope in a room is its maintenance in winter. If you create ideal conditions for it - provide additional lighting, a temperature of 17 to 20 degrees, and before that, in the summer, limit flowering by cutting off the inflorescences, it will even bloom. But more often, when kept in an ordinary city apartment, at this time there is a catastrophic lack of light, it is too hot, and the air is dry due to the operation of the batteries. Even in the brightest and coolest window it has a hard time, it stretches out, loses its lower leaves, and the trunk becomes bare. It may even seem that the bush is dead, but don’t rush to part with it; most likely, in the spring it will come to life and grow green again.

The most suitable place for it in winter is an unheated room, an insulated balcony. If the temperature there drops at least 12 degrees, the plant will dormant until spring without loss. At temperatures below 10 degrees, heliotrope sheds its leaves and goes into sleep, then light is no longer important for it.

In winter, special attention should be paid to watering. At low temperatures it is very scanty, just so that the soil does not dry out. Overmoistening leads to rotting of the roots, and here, most likely, replanting with a change of soil will not help. If it is noticeable that the heliotrope suffers from dry air (the ends and edges of the leaves curl, then they turn yellow and fall off), watering is replaced by spraying and they try to increase air humidity in every possible way.

By the end of winter, the plant comes to life, new shoots begin to grow. At this time, watering is gradually increased. When the roots fill the entire pot and are already visible from the drainage holes, it is time to transplant it into a larger pot, this should be done in the spring.

Helitrope prefers loose and light substrate. This can be a mixture of leaf soil with sand (2:1) or a mixture of leaf and turf soil with sand and peat (1:1:1:1). Be sure to arrange drainage, otherwise the soil may become acidic.

In March-April, the tips of the shoots of young plants begin to be pinched so that branching begins. After pinching, the bushes bloom 1-2 weeks later, but more inflorescences are formed, and the plant itself turns out to be compact and strong. To restore the decorative appearance of old bushes with bare stems, it is necessary to carry out rejuvenating pruning, cutting them off almost to the ground.

Water frequently in the spring, in small portions; spraying is still welcome. Heliotrope loves not only to drink well, but also to eat. Since March, once every 10 days, feed with a highly diluted solution of liquid fertilizers for indoor flowering plants.

From the beginning of summer, as soon as warm weather sets in, it is better to take the heliotrope out into the fresh air - into the garden, onto the balcony or veranda. If this is not possible, it is recommended to keep it in a bright room with a temperature of 22-23 degrees, protecting it from direct sunlight so that the leaves do not get burned. They look like brown spots. If in winter it is dangerous to overfill heliotrope, then in summer it is dangerous to overdry it. Therefore, it is watered regularly and abundantly. so that the top layer of soil is constantly moderately moist. In hot weather, do not forget to spray regularly. With a lack of moisture, the inflorescences become smaller and the leaves begin to fall off.

Faded inflorescences are immediately cut off, then many side shoots with new inflorescences are formed, abundant flowering lasts all summer. Continue feeding with fertilizers for flowering plants (2-3 times a month), having already brought them to the value recommended in the instructions. They stop giving additional food in September.

Heliotrope can be grown into a charming little tree, but it will take 2-3 years. First, the strongest specimens with a straight central shoot and large leaves are selected - they have larger internodes. A support stick is fixed in a pot or tub, to which the plant is tied. As they grow from below, side shoots are removed. When the plant reaches the desired height after a few months, pinch off the top. After this, the crown begins to form; it accounts for 6-9 side shoots, this is approximately 1/3 of the total height of the tree. 2-3 internodes are left on each side shoot, and so on several times until a thick, rounded cap is obtained.

The tips of the shoots remaining during pruning, even if they are only 1-2 cm in size, can be rooted and new plants can be obtained.

If the earthen ball is overdried and the leaves hang down, the heliotrope needs urgent help. The pot should be immersed in water and the substrate should be allowed to soak well.

If small white midges, similar to tiny butterflies, flutter around the heliotrope, it means that the plant is inhabited by whiteflies. It can easily be placed in the 8th house in the fall. She loves a combination of high temperature and high humidity. Adults and their larvae spoil leaves by feeding on plant sap and transmit viral diseases.

To combat the pest, special glue traps and fumigators against flies and mosquitoes are used. It is recommended to alternate folk remedies (soap solution, infusions of garlic, yarrow, tobacco, dandelion) with modern chemicals (actara, fitoverm, actellik, spark, intavir), repeating the treatment with the frequency recommended by the manufacturer.

Tender young leaves are also desirable for sap-sucking aphids. The leaves are severely deformed, the plant is depressed and weakened. If there are still few aphids, they begin by treating with a solution of laundry soap, mustard infusions, yarrow leaves, celandine, chamomile, decoctions of wormwood, tansy, and hot pepper pods. If there are a large number of pests, you have to resort to drugs, including those mentioned above, carrying out repeated treatments.

Spider mites attack heliotrope in rooms with dry air. Black spots appear on the leaves, then the leaves fall off, and the young shoots dry out. Using a magnifying glass, you can see pale dots on the underside of the leaf - puncture sites from the sucking of cell sap by these small, mobile pests. Their presence is also revealed by a thin cobweb.

Damaged leaves are removed, the remaining ones are treated several times with warm soapy water, infusions of garlic, and onion peels. If simple remedies are ineffective, drugs are used: Neoron, Akarin, Abiga-Pik, Rogor, Actellik, Fitoverm, Actara.

Heliotrope has no serious diseases, but as a result of improper care it can suffer from gray rot. It appears in cool, damp weather and when kept in a cold, damp room in the form of spots of gray mold on the leaves and stems. This fungal disease leads to tissue softening and rotting, and the bush dies.

The affected parts of the plant are removed. It is recommended to treat with the drugs skor, topaz, phytosporin, trichodermin; in case of significant damage, use foundationazole and ridomil gold. Processing strictly according to instructions. In the future, you need to adjust the maintenance regime: move the plant to a well-lit windowsill in a warm room and reduce watering.

According to the famous Russian naturalist N.F. Zolotnitsky, in Bohemia, in the town of Copillio, over 40 years they grew heliotrope 4 m high. “It grows in a huge iron box, which for the winter is brought into a greenhouse with an air temperature of 10 degrees. In March, as soon as the tree begins to be covered with new buds, it is pruned and transferred to the garden. Around July, the tree blooms and then presents an unusually beautiful appearance, as it is covered with several thousand clusters of dark purple flowers, the wonderful smell of which spreads throughout the garden.”: Which plants need how much light...