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Heliotropium sp. 'Ecuador' (Ecuadorian Heliotrope) - A large upright shrub to 7 feet tall or more by 3 to 4 feet wide with 3- to 4-inch-long bright green pleated leaves and slightly fragrant pure white flowers in coiled terminal clusters called scorpiod cymes that are typical of the Borage family. These flowers appear off and on nearly year-round, even through the winter months, and they are followed by very showy white berries with both flowers and berries often on display at the same time.
Plant in full sun to light shade and irrigate regularly, occasionally to infrequently. This plant is perfectly hardy in coastal southern California with light damage as temperatures dip down into the high 20s° F. It is a nice addition to the garden and, while not having as strong a scent as Heliotropium arborescens, this is possibly a good thing as it is not such an overpowering aroma. It is also attractive to bees.
This plant from seed collected by John Bleck from Ecuador from near the Buenaventura Reserve at around 2,500 feet along the west slope of the Andes in southwestern Ecuador. In Arboles y arbustos del los Andes del Ecuador (Trees and shrubs of the Andes of Ecuador) listing on the eFlora website it is noted that there are 200 species of Heliotropium in the tropical region with 5 species in the Ecuadorian Andes, but for several we have not been able to find a good description, and so are uncertain it any of those species listed quite match up with this plant. 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. We have grown this attractive and unusual plant since 2014.
Information displayed on this page about Heliotropium sp. 'Ecuador' is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
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