2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Heliotrope (Latin Heliotropium) - a genus of flowering plants, among which there are grasses, dwarf shrubs and shrubs. The fragrant flowers of Heliotrope are distinguished by a special love for our luminary, constantly following his movement across the heavens.
What's in your name
The Latin name of the plant is based on Greek words describing the ability of its flowers to turn after the sun, making its day trip over the Earth. It is possible that the matter is not at all in love for the luminary, although every blade of grass tends to him, but not with such enviable constancy, but with some earthly phenomena. After all, today no one is burned at the stake for the idea that the Earth revolves around the Sun, and not the Sun around our planet. Whatever it was, but outwardly everything looks exactly like in reckless love.
Description
The heliotrope, created by nature, presents the world with fragrant small flowers, which, to be more noticeable, form corymbose apical inflorescences of purple or white color. The flowers of hybrid varieties do not always exude aroma, since when they were bred, aroma was not a priority property that a person was going to pass on to a newborn.
The lush inflorescence seems to be located on a dark green pedestal of leaves holding on to the stem with short petioles. Leaves of medium size have an obovate or oval-oblong shape, are protected by pubescence of hairs and are so tied with veins that they give the impression of wrinkled skin.
The nut-like fruit completes the growing season of annual herbaceous plants.
Varieties
Three hundred species of plants are united by the genus Heliotrope. Let's list a few of them as an example.
* Heliotrope, stem-embracing (lat. Heliotropium amplexicaule) is a perennial shrub up to 30 cm high. Bluish-lilac flowers gathering in lush inflorescences delight gardeners in the summer.
* European heliotrope (lat. Heliotropium Europaeum) - grows not only in Europe, but also in North Africa and Asia. It is an annual plant up to 40 cm high with a stalk root. The oval leaves and stem are protected by soft hairs. Small white flowers form apical inflorescences. The plant contains poisonous alkaloids.
* Heliotrope Peruvian (lat. Heliotropium peruvianum) - a perennial shrub in nature is popular in culture, but is grown more often as an annual. Numerous branches of the bush rise up to 50 cm in height and are covered with two-colored leaves of an elongated-oval shape. The dark green leaf surface is noticeably lighter on the reverse side. Inflorescences of fragrant dark purple flowers adorn the shrub with the arrival of summer.
* Treelike heliotrope (lat. Heliotropium arborescens) - for purple flowers, exuding a vanilla aroma, the perennial plant is called "Cherry Pie". It was very popular in England during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). Some varieties of this type are still popular today. The seeds of the plant are poisonous, and its leaves are toxic to animals.
* Heliotrope hybrid (lat. Heliotropium x hybridum) - hybrid species are distinguished by a richer variety of colors; may be herbaceous plants or shrubs; be fragrant or have lost this ability during the crossing of all kinds of natural species.
Growing
In order for the Heliotrope to demonstrate its love for the sun, it should be planted in places exposed to the sun's rays.
A vibrant and lush bloom requires loose, humus-rich, moist but not soggy soil. In summer, watering is a daily ritual provided there is good drainage to prevent fungi from destroying beauty. Periodically, watering is combined with mineral dressings.
Due to the poor germination of seeds, it is much more efficient to propagate Heliotrope with apical cuttings, which can be done all year round.
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Heliotrope Peruvian
Heliotrope Peruvian (lat.Heliotropium peruvianum) - a representative of the genus Heliotrope of the Borage family. The homeland of the plant is considered to be South America. The species takes an active part in breeding, to date, many interesting varieties have been obtained on its basis, which can please with a pleasant aroma that flutters over long distances.
European Heliotrope
European heliotrope (Latin Heliotropium europaeum) - treatment plant; a representative of the large genus Heliotrope, consisting of 300 species. Belongs to the Borage family. Another name is lichaeva grass. In nature, the plant is found in Central Asia, European countries and the European part of Russia.
Fragrant Heliotrope
All earthly flowers are drawn to the sun. But not many of them can boast of such an affection for him, which Heliotrope possesses. During the day, its flowers do not let our star out of their field of vision, repeating its heavenly path on Earth. For this ability, the plant received the name "Heliotrope", which translated from Greek means "turning with the sun"
