Also known as Monkey Tail and cherry pie plant, Heliotrope has been a well-known flower in the cottage garden since Victorian times.
This semi-hardy perennial attracts helpful pollinators to the garden with dainty but conspicuous clusters of white, blue, and purple flowers.
As the plantโs nickname suggests, heliotrope flowers are loved for their delicious scent, perfuming the air with a vanilla scent and freshly baked pie. In the flowerโs language, the Heliotrope symbolizes eternal love and devotion.
Heliotropium is a genus of plants in the Boraginaceae family (Borage). Heliotropum genus consists of around 325 species[1].
The Heliotrope grows annually in colder climates and as a perennial or semi-hardy in humid climates. In nature, it grows up to 2 meters high and 8 feet wide. The oval, dark green leaves are alternately arranged and have distinctive veins.
Heliotrope blooms in fall or summer. The buds turn a deep purple color and then become lighter as they age.
