Hi Ellen,
I think what you read somewhere isn't true. There are quite a few articles about overwintering heliotrope so a lot of people must do it. Possibly it is one of those plants that if left unpruned will develop old woody stems that flower less like my rambling rose. I have no clue if this is true of heliotrope, but if it is the case, pruning back to induce new growth will solve that problem.
Remy

Thanks Remy. My overwintering Heliotrope is actually blooming right now (with its nice fragrance) so it's earned its keep this winter! I will try pruning in spring and see how it does in a patio pot for its second year...

Ellen,
I too overwintered my heliotrope inside this winter. And I also have it in a south facing window. Dug it up out of the garden in November. 3 pots. Seems to be doing well, but I haven't had flowers. Lucky You!! I'm jealous! Have you been giving them fert? I water once a week and give MG.
I also was going to pot them up in bigger pots come warmer weather, give them a nice pruning, and cross my fingers. Hopefully I'll have them inside next winter too!
Good luck! though it sounds as though you dont need it, lol!
Daniella

I am overwintering a Heliotrope and right now, it seems to be doing just fine. I am a complete newbie at gardening, but I have a scientific background and read a good bit. So hopefuly I will learn lots quickly.

Right now (we're now end of Feb., in Montreal Canada) it seems to be doing great. Starts showing signs of getting leggy, but I figured that was normal... It sits on the window sill of my bathroom (so no artificial light), where it's 24°C (75°F for most people from US), sometimes humid (when we take a bath or shower) but often dry as there's an electrical heater right under... (no choice!).

I have to water it almost every morning though, otherwise, I notice it looses leaves after they turn brown/dry. I also spray it with water once in a while (up to 4-5 times a day, sometimes none).

I trimmed it a bit in Dec. and it responded well. 2 new shoots grew on the node under each trimming place. I might trim it again soon, and maybe giving it new soil and better light to prepare it to come outside in a few months... Not sure though...

I'm not quite sure what species/variety it is, but I'll do some research on it. My 1st impression is that it might be an arborescens, since it does look like a miniature tree, with old-looking bark on lots of the stems... Fits with what Remy was writing...

Daniella: You say you have 3 plants? Why not do a test this summer? Put them in 3 different sizes containers. Big, medium, small/deep. I read that some plants don't flower as much when put in big pots. They use their energy to make roots instead of flowers... I'm sure SOME roots is important, especially if you want to keep the plant on the long-term, but you also wanna have the most sweet-smelling flowers you can, right? :)
So if you decide to do that test, let us know and we can open the bets and see who wins at the end of the summer!

Thanks & take care.

-ChrisL

Hey...
I just found this!
(also see the text at the bottom of this guy's blog page)
{{gwi:194602}}

Who ever said that heliotropes were demanding plants to overwinter???
This guy forgot his heliotrope plant in the garage in autumn and it stayed there by accident, all winter!!!
No water, and I suppose very little light!
(I believe he's from Vancouver, Washington (not Canada))
And look how great it came back in the summer!
Amazing!

Just thought I'd share...

Oh, and the guy also has great pics of this extraordinary night-blooming orchid-cactus.
Amazing and huge flowers, and apparently fragrant too!
{{gwi:194603}}

-ChrisL

I too have the arborescens..Atlantis.
Right now mine are in small pots, and I haven't had 1 flower. I thought maybe by them getting rootbound they might flower, but doesnt seem like it.
I did prune mine down hard when I first brought them in, all grew back nicely, and quickly! I just pruned another and put it under grow lights. I think mine may not have flowered inside because I pruned them? We'll see what happens with the one under the grow lights.
I dont know now if I am putting mine in the ground or in pots come spring. I don't think I will have enough pots.. between new cuttings I gathered the last couple months, and all the seeds I have going. We'll see what happens, but if I do have 3 extra pots, I will do the experiment and let you know. Right now I am about 30 pots short, so.. lol.

That night-blooming orchid-cactus is gorgeous!!
Daniella

For what it's worth, I potted my Heliotrope arborescens in a deep but narrow pot for overwintering in my house. It's still flowering now. Its fragrance is so welcome this time of year. I only hope that it continues to flower this summer on the patio, and hopefully attract butterflies (which is why I grew it in the first place).

im replanting now in zone 4-5 eastern ontario its been doing ok all summer, but i ve tried this before to no avail, going to try again in a pot that befits its root structure and see what happens