
Aster
Aster novi-belgii
Heliotropium arborescens
Clusters of tiny purple flowers with vanilla fragrance. Also called cherry pie. Victorian favorite. Named because flowers follow sun. Symbol of eternal love and devotion. Perfume industry uses.
Summer
Temperate
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Stays fresh for 5 to 7 days
when properly cared for
Intensely sweet vanilla-cherry scent, often compared to cherry pie
Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids - toxic to liver if ingested
Often called Cherry Pie plant due to its sweet fragrance
The name means sun-turning - old belief that flowers followed the sun
Victorians used heliotrope in tussie-mussies to convey devotion
The intense purple color was highly fashionable in Victorian times
Native to Peru, heliotrope was introduced to Europe in the 18th century and became wildly popular for its intoxicating fragrance. The Victorians were obsessed with it, breeding increasingly fragrant varieties. Unfortunately, many modern cultivars have lost much of the original intense scent.