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perennial

Marino™ Blue Heliotrope

Heliotropium arborescens 'KLEHA13711'

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Marino Blue Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens 'KLEHA13711') at Little Red Farm Nursery

Marino™ Blue Heliotrope flowers

Marino™ Blue Heliotrope flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Plant Height:  10 inches

Flower Height:  14 inches

Spacing:  15 inches

Sunlight:  full sun  partial shade 

Hardiness Zone:  9b

Other Names:  Cherry Pie Plant

Brand:  Ball

Description:

Easy to grow and heat tolerant, this upright variety features beautifully scented clusters of deep purple and white flowers, atop of green, deeply veined foliage; superb performance in containers, hanging baskets, borders and beds

Ornamental Features

Marino™ Blue Heliotrope has masses of beautiful clusters of fragrant deep purple flowers with white overtones at the ends of the stems from late spring to early fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. Its textured pointy leaves remain green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Marino™ Blue Heliotrope is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

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, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Marino™ Blue Heliotrope is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • Border Edging
  • General Garden Use
  • Container Planting
  • Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Marino™ Blue Heliotrope will grow to be about 10 inches tall at maturity extending to 14 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 18 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 15 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. 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 is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Marino™ Blue Heliotrope is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. 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.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Massing  Edging  Garden  Container  Basket 
Applications
Flowers  Attracts Wildlife 
Ornamental Features