Heliotrope is an annual grown for its blooms, which open from spring through fall. Notably, it shrugs off deer and grows just as well in a container as in the ground. Its flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies.
Heliotrope — the short answer
Heliotrope: full sun, pH 6–7.5, about 80 days to maturity.
- Soil pH
- 6–7.5
- We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
- Sun
- Full Sun
- We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
- Days to Maturity
- 80 days
- We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
- Frost-kill temp (growing season)
- 32°F
- We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
Score Heliotrope on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether heliotrope actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score heliotrope against your land's real conditions.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
No card required · your parcel report in seconds — read in full free for your first 14 days
See Heliotrope
What Heliotrope is
Heliotrope grows as an annual and reaches around two feet at maturity. It blooms from spring through fall. It's also deer-resistant and well suited to containers.
Life cycle, mature height, bloom period and container suitability: We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
How to grow Heliotrope
Heliotrope does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 6 to 7.5, on well-drained ground. It needs around 1,400 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 90 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
Grown as an annual — see the growing season
Soil pH
6 - 7.5
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Sun
Full Sun
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Drainage
well (dry spells)
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Frost Kill Temperature
32°F
Where cold starts killing growing tissue. Not a winter-survival floor — a dormant perennial takes far colder, which its hardiness zone answers.
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Days to Maturity
80 days
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
GDD Required
1400+
Growing degree-days of accumulated warmth it needs to mature — humid summers reach this faster than cool coastal ones.
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Mature Height
2 ft
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Frost-Free Days
90+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant heliotrope in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Match the soil
Heliotrope prefers pH 6 to 7.5. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at its peak
Cut heliotrope blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Where Heliotrope thrives
Whether heliotrope thrives on a given site comes down to its soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates — the conditions that vary parcel to parcel.
What grows around Heliotrope
Growing guides for heliotrope
Related plants in annual flower
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — heliotrope is toxic to dogs and cats (moderate severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.)
Heliotrope offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Your land is one point inside Heliotrope's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if Heliotrope will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether heliotrope actually takes. We score it against the mapped and modelled conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
How we know this about Heliotrope
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow Heliotrope in my zone?
Heliotrope is grown as an annual, so a hardiness zone does not decide it — its growing season follows your last and first frost dates. Soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Heliotrope?
Most growers plant heliotrope after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 90-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Heliotrope need?
Heliotrope needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Heliotrope need?
Heliotrope prefers soil pH 6 to 7.5, on well-drained ground. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. Your report scores your parcel's mapped soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Heliotrope attract pollinators?
Yes — heliotrope's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Is Heliotrope safe for pets?
Heliotrope is toxic to dogs and cats with moderate severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.)