Heliotrope
Heliotropium arborescens
A tender shrubby perennial loved for dense clusters of tiny purple flowers with an intense vanilla-cherry fragrance, earning it the nickname 'cherry pie plant.' It is grown as a fragrant bedding and container annual in most climates.
- Light
- Full sun to light afternoon shade
- Water
- Keep evenly moist; do not let dry out
- Difficulty
- Moderate
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Overview
Heliotrope is a tender, woody-based perennial from Peru, almost always grown as an annual or container plant for its powerful sweet scent. The flowers smell strongly of vanilla and cherry, especially on warm evenings.
Its deep violet to blue-purple flower clusters sit above wrinkled, dark green foliage, making it a classic choice for Victorian-style bedding and fragrant patio pots.
How to identify it
- Bushy, mounded plant typically 1-2 ft (30-60 cm) tall in a single season
- Leaves are dark green, oval to lance-shaped, deeply veined and noticeably wrinkled (rugose)
- Flowers are tiny, five-lobed and borne in dense, slightly domed clusters (cymes) up to 4 in across
- Bloom color is deep purple to violet-blue, occasionally white, with a strong vanilla/cherry-pie fragrance
Care & growing
- Light: Full sun in cool climates; light afternoon shade where summers are very hot
- Water: Keep soil consistently moist; wilts quickly and resents drying out
- Soil: Rich, well-drained, organic soil
- Temperature: Frost-tender; thrives in warm but not scorching conditions
- Feeding: Feed regularly with a balanced fertilizer for steady bloom
- Propagation: From seed (slow) or, more reliably, from softwood stem cuttings; can be overwintered indoors
Pinch young plants to encourage bushiness and deadhead spent clusters to prolong flowering.
Habitat & origin
Native to Peru and parts of South America, where it grows as a perennial subshrub in warm, frost-free conditions.
Grown around the world as an ornamental bedding and container plant, prized in cottage and scent gardens. In USDA zones 10-11 it can persist as a small evergreen shrub.
Uses & benefits
- Ornamental: Fragrant bedding plant, container and patio specimen, and old-fashioned cottage-garden favorite
- Fragrance: The vanilla-cherry scent makes it popular near seating, doorways and windows
- Ecological: Flowers attract bees and butterflies
Caution: All parts contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids that are toxic if ingested by people or pets.
Frequently asked questions
Why does heliotrope smell like cherry pie?
Its flowers release a sweet vanilla-and-cherry fragrance, strongest on warm evenings, which gave rise to the common name 'cherry pie plant.'
Is heliotrope a perennial?
It is a tender perennial that survives outdoors only in frost-free climates; elsewhere it is grown as an annual or overwintered indoors.
Is heliotrope poisonous?
Yes. The plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that are toxic to humans, dogs and cats if eaten, so keep it away from children and pets.
Why is my heliotrope wilting?
Heliotrope dislikes drying out; sudden wilting usually means the soil got too dry, though it can also wilt in extreme heat.
Heliotrope guides
In-depth guides for identifying, growing, and caring for Heliotrope.
