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Cherry Pie Flower

Heliotropium (hee-lee-oh-TROH-pee-um)

Family: Boraginaceae Non-native Herbaceous

Heliotrope is a genus of half-hardy perennials which are usually grown as annuals but may be grown as perennial in zones 9 and 10. It is grown both for the attractive clusters of small flowers, which can be, blue, purple, or white, and have a delicate vanilla-almond fragrance. The older varieties are more fragrant. It is found naturally in forests or wet areas. Heliotrope can be grown outdoors in moist, well-drained soil in full sun or indoors in a well-lighted area with some protection from the afternoon sun. It may bloom in spring, summer, or fall, depending on the cultivar.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 44 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Clematis integrifolia Dianthus barbatus Lantana camara 'Miss Huff'

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Annual; Herbaceous Perennial; Perennial; Poisonous
Life cycle
Annual; Perennial
USDA zones
3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Wet
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Blue; Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Oblanceolate; Ovate
Hairs present
Yes
Flower color
Blue; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower form
Umbel
Flower shape
Trumpet
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Small, 5-parted, blue, purple, or white, on a slender, coiled, stem.
Bloom time
Fall; Spring; Summer
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Tropical and temporate America, Europe
Distribution
throughout North America
Attracts
Butterflies; Hummingbirds
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Naturalized Area; Woodland
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Pollinator Garden
Garden tags
#poisonous #native wildflower #moist soil #showy flowers #hummingbird friendly #fragrant flowers #well-drained soil #pollinator plant #butterfly friendly #problem for horses #full sun tolerant #container plant #rich soils
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Poisonous to Humans; Problem for Horses; Weedy
Resistant to
Wet Soil
Propagation
Root Cutting; Stem Cutting
Poison severity
Medium
Poison parts
Bark; Flowers; Fruits; Leaves; Roots; Sap/Juice; Seeds; Stems
Poison symptoms
TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN. Digestive upset and liver damage over continued use; sometimes used in herbal teas.
Toxic principle
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids
Contact dermatitis
No
Toxicity summary
Medium severity poison; parts: Bark; Flowers; Fruits; Leaves; Roots; Sap/Juice; Seeds; Stems

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.