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| Category: Perennial |
| Family: Boraginaceae (Borages) |
| Origin: Argentina (South America) |
| Flower Color: Violet |
| Bloomtime: Spring/Summer |
| Synonyms: [Helitropium anchusaefolium] |
| Height: Prostrate |
| Width: 2-3 feet |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 10-15° F |
| May be Poisonous (More Info): Yes |
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Heliotropium amplexicaule (Clasping Heliotrope) - This low growing perennial grows to 2-3 feet wide and is clothed with hairy, toothed 2 inch long leaves that appear to clasp the stems. The violet flowers with yellow centers line one side of the forked and curled-back flower stems over a long period from spring into fall. Does best in sun or part shade with infrequent to occasional irrigation. Hardy to around 30° F as an evergreen perennial but will resprout from roots and can be grown in gardens in colder climates with claims it is root hardy to 20° F and useful in gardens in USDA zones 6 and 7. Pinch back occasionally through summer to promote rebloom and to keep more compact and watch for it to spread a bit from rhizomes. This plant has long been a favorite in our garden; it is attractive and incredibly tough, thriving on neglect. Great as a small scale ground cover or in a mixed perennial planting in the ground or containers and is very attractive to bees and butterflies. One unfortunate aspect about it is that it has become a weed in Southeast Australia where it has been determined to be toxic to livestock that feed on it but this plant has been well behaved in our garden and is not noted as a weed in the US. Clasping Heliotrope comes from tropical South America and was first described in 1794 by the Danish Botanist Martin Vahl. The name for the genus comes from the Greek words 'helio' meaning "the sun" and 'tropi' meaning "to turn" from the belief that the flowers turned towards and follow the direction of the sun. The species epithet is from the Latin word 'amplexus' meaning "to wind around" or "surround" and 'caulis' meaning "stem" referring to the sessile leaves that seem to clasp the stem. A selection, Heliotropium amplexicaule 'Azure Skies', in the Southern Living Plant Collection appears to be very similar if not the same as the species, which we have grown since getting it from horticulturalist Carol Bornstein in the early 1990's. We have listed in in our catalogs since 1995.
This information about Heliotropium amplexicaule displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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