Maureen Gilmer
Family
Boraginaceae
Botanical Name
Heliotropium arborescens 'Balhelbabim'(BABY BLUE IMPROVED) PP16551
Plant Common Name
Blue Heliotrope
General Description
This compact heliotrope has a bushy, upright habit and yields very large clusters of tiny pale lavender-blue flowers all summer. Baby Blue Improved is a Ball Horticultural Company introduction and blooms best where summers are cool. It is commonly grown as a bedding annual but this Peruvian native is a shrubby evergreen perennial where hardy.
The bushy plants are covered with attractive deep green leaves. When conditions are favorable it produces big rounded clusters of many tiny tubular violet-blue flowers. These have a sweet fragrance. In fact, a very old common name for this plant is "cherry pie" due to its sweet fruity smelling flowers which are irresistible to butterflies and bees.
Heliotrope prefers full to partial sun and evenly moist, but well-drained, fertile soil. Regular deadheading will keep flowers coming in profusion as will regular fertilizer. Plant this favorite bedding plant anywhere where cool bright color is desired.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
10 - 1
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USDA Hardiness Zone
9 - 13
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Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 15, 16, 17, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Tender Perennial
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun
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Height
8"-12" / 20.3cm - 30.5cm
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Width
12"-18" / 30.5cm - 45.7cm
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Bloom Time
Indeterminate
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Native To
South America
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Lavender, Blue Violet
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Winter)
Dark Green
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
Yes
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Coarse
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
Yes
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Showy Bark
No
