Heliotrope: Our Favorite Flowers

Ball Horticultural Company
Vanilla honey describes the sweet scent of these pretty purple flowers. Plants flower year-round, and the blossoms are a sensory treat in the depth of winter. Stems tend to trail, so plan to support plants with a hoop-type stake. Botanical name: Heliotropium arborescens ‘Marino Blue’
This small (18 inches tall and wide), shrubby perennial produces its fragrant blooms throughout the summer in blue, lavender, purple or white, depending on the cultivar. Heliotrope prefers moist, well-drained soil in full sun or, where summers are hot, in afternoon shade. Butterflies are attracted to its flowers, which offer a delightful vanilla scent. Bring container plants under cover for winter or take cuttings.