Vanilla flower, Heliotropium arborescens, heliotrope

The vanilla flower actually blooms from early summer to late autumn, and this flower is extremely decorative. The flowers can be white, but mostly they are light blue, medium blue or even blue-violet in color. Heliotropium arborescens always has many small flowers that grow umbel-shaped and can be very close together. The plant is still far too little widespread and too unknown when you consider how well it works both visually and olfactorily on the balcony and terrace. In Europe, the vanilla flower can even be kept in the open air as long as it is brought into the house for the winter. The plant takes its name from the beguiling vanilla scent that the flowers give off.

Location

The vanilla flower likes sunny locations, but needs some shade at least for a short time in the afternoon. When choosing a location, direct sunlight is important because the plant likes to turn its leaves towards the sun. But it can only do that if it can really feel the sunlight directly and also has enough space to turn.

This is easy to observe outdoors: the solstice is still oriented to the west in the early morning and moves with it Sunrise and stronger radiation to the west and then follows the course of the sun until it is straight at noon and its leaves follow aligns above. In the afternoon the plant turns to the west.

care

This plant likes warmth very much, it can also be kept on balconies, terraces and verandas or in the winter garden. However, in the case of window seats in the winter garden, care should be taken to ensure that Heliotropium arborescens does not get too much sun. If the plant becomes too dry and too hot, the leaves turn brown at the edges.

The vanilla flower is not hardy, it does not tolerate frost. accordingly, the plant should be protected from excessively low temperatures. In locations where this is not possible, the plant can be kept in a bowl, bucket or box so that it can be moved indoors if necessary. In winter, the flower likes a cool and bright place. Temperatures around 5 ° C are ideal. The plant can therefore be placed in a cold house to overwinter.

In a nutshell:

• sunny location with little shade in the afternoon
• Warmth welcomes, is heat tolerant
• overwinter in the house at about 5 ° C in a bright location

floor

Heliotrop likes loose, fresh soils with a slight lime content. The earth must be permeable, it can hold moisture, but not dam. A universal soil with mixed in sand or perlite is therefore ideal for the plant. The soil can be slightly acidic, but the vanilla flower can also tolerate slightly alkaline, i.e. calcareous soils. The emphasis here is more on "light" than on "alkaline" or "acidic".

Fertilizer can be used sparingly, the manufacturer's information on the fertilizers for flowering plants is simply too rich for the solstice. Too high a nutrient content in the soil is more likely to be harmful. However, it does not work without fertilizer, the plant needs a little care.

However, this plant needs a lot of water. The vanilla flower wants to be watered regularly and abundantly. It also indicates this: when the leaves appear slightly limp and hang instead of turning towards the sun, the plant begs for water. If you don't water now, the edges of the leaves will turn brown very quickly. However, the plant must not stand in the water. If the ground is too wet, the solstice will rot.

In a nutshell:

• loose, fresh soil with high permeability
• some sand is perfect
• may be slightly chalky or slightly acidic
• fertilize rather little
• no soil too rich in nutrients
• water regularly and well
• no waterlogging

plants

Buy preferred plants

Heliotrope can be applied via seeds, but it can also be bought as a grown plant. In the second case, the plants are put out of the pot in the bed or in the tub. It is important that there is a distance of at least 20 cm to the next plant. This is the only way for the flower to turn towards the sun in its typical way. Older plants require more space accordingly.

Even if the height of the plants is specified as up to 60 cm, the individual specimens can be higher. Because these are only average values. A height of 80 cm is therefore quite possible. This should also be taken into account when planting.

Heliotrope rather forms brittle, weak shoots. During the flowering period, especially under the influence of wind, these shoots can easily break. So a support makes sense. This should also be taken into account when planting out, there must be enough space.

In a nutshell:

• Pre-grown plants are placed in the bed at a distance of 20 cm from one another
• Because of the brittle shoots, it should be possible to attach supports
• some plants grow taller than the specified maximum 60 cm

to water

However, regular watering is necessary. Especially when the solstice leaves its leaves drooping. Because then the plant begs for water. This is the case in the growth phase. Care also includes removing all withered parts of the plant. The plant should always be cut back in spring.

When there is noticeable wind and strong air movements, Heliotropium arborescens needs support because the shoots are brittle. A support wood, especially under the heavy flower-bearing shoots, is then useful. And that also applies to plants that are kept in pots or tubs. If the plants are in the bed, there should be a minimum distance of at least 20 cm between the individual plants.

Fertilize

The vanilla flower is quite easy to care for. The plants do not have to be fertilized as often and get by with relatively small amounts of fertilizer. Two to three fertilizers per week are particularly advisable during the flowering phase. Ideally, 2 g to 3 g compound fertilizer are used per liter of irrigation water.

In a nutshell:

• water a lot as it grows
• Fertilize two to three times a week during the flowering period
• prune back in spring
• Remove withered
• support if necessary
• Minimum distance between the plants 20 cm

species

There are Heliotropium arborescens in very different flower and leaf colors, the plants are diverse and are bred in several subspecies. However, none of them are winter hardy. In most specialty shops you can buy the plants as annual shrubs. But they are actually of several years and give many years of joy even in Europe with loving care.

blossoms

The vanilla flower needs a lot of care, especially during the flowering period. If dead umbels are removed as quickly as possible, more new flowers can develop. Because if the plant is given the opportunity to develop seeds, it will put a lot of effort into this task and show fewer flowers. The slightly withered flowers can be dried and used as potpourri, they still smell pleasantly mild for a long time of vanilla.

The plant will also grow better if it is pruned back regularly in spring. The cut is radical: only 10 to 15 cm of the plant remain. So new, strong shoots can grow, flowers can be formed. Distributed shoots usually produce few or no flowers. These should be removed in spring.

In a nutshell:

• Immediately remove faded flower umbels
• cut back to 10 to 15 cm in spring
• Remove dead shoots

Multiply

The solstice is fairly easy to multiply. One possibility is targeted sowing, another is propagation through cuttings. If you want to sow the plant, you should purchase high-quality seeds from a specialist dealer. Sowing can take place from the end of January, but appointments later in spring or in autumn are also possible.

The vanilla flower is a light germinator. The seeds are ideally sown between February and March in a bright indoor greenhouse. The floor temperature should be around 20 ° C. After a germination time of about two weeks, the seedlings should be isolated. The small plants can spend their time in the bed in a large pot until they are released. When the young plants have reached a height of 10 cm, the individual specimens should be pricked.

If you want to let the vanilla flower bloom in May or June, you should think about sowing it in June of the previous year at the latest. The young plants then have to hibernate indoors from late autumn and should be watered regularly, but little, during this time as well. In the spring, Heliotropium arborescens is then planted out. Cutting back is also necessary.

In a nutshell:

• Sow from the end of January at 20 ° C soil temperature in the indoor greenhouse
• Light germ, germination time is around 2 weeks
• Seedlings have to be separated
• at a height of 10 cm

Propagate by cuttings

If you don't want to buy seeds that much, Heliotropium arborescens can also be propagated using cuttings. To do this, cut back the woody shoots of the older plants in June. With a total length of 10 cm, the seedlings can be placed in a pot with a suitable substrate.

If the cuttings are dipped in Neudofix (a rooting powder), offspring is even easier. They should be planted in a pot of potting soil and covered with a plastic bag. This allows the plants to develop roots very quickly and grow well.

In a nutshell:

• Cut back lignified shoots in June
• Shoots with a total length of at least 10 cm come on easily in the pot
• Neudofix or similar rooting powder will help

Pests

Pests and diseases

In principle, the vanilla flower is easy to care for. If you follow the instructions, there are no typical diseases. Blooming laziness and stunted growth are basically due to insufficient care or mistakes in watering. However, aphids and whiteflies like Heliotropium arborescens. The infestation can spread well, especially during the winter.

Typical signs of whitefly infestation are:

• yellowed, blotchy leaves
• The leaves dry up, fall off
• possibly honeydew on the upper side of the leaves
• numerous insects fly up when touched

During the winter of the solstice in the greenhouse, the pests mentioned can be prevented with parasitic wasps and spiders. Both are natural enemies of the pests, which they simply eat up. Of course, other plants in the greenhouse also benefit from this. Yellow panels have also proven helpful.

Aphids

Aphids, on the other hand, are noticeable through strongly curled and curled leaves. The leaves sometimes seem downright blistered when the plant is infested with lice. The lice sit in dense groups on the underside of the leaves, while the sticky parts of the plant are infested with fungi and often look black as a result. Aphids should be controlled naturally, for example with soap solutions or nettle extract.

Experience has shown that both whiteflies and aphids are drastically reduced when the vanilla flower moves outside in spring.

In a nutshell:

• no typical diseases
• susceptible to whitefly and aphids
• Pests can be controlled naturally

Conclusion

Heliotrope can be kept in the open air with relatively little effort if the plants can overwinter in a cold house. They give off a pleasant vanilla scent and are not prone to disease. However, the plants are poisonous, so children should be kept away from them. Although the plants are sold as annual subshrubs, they are actually perennial and can even be grown using seedlings.