AnnualsDiscover the right annual plants for your garden.
Catalina ® Midnight Blue wishbone bloom . Photo by : Proven Winners
Do you be intimate pansies but get frustrated when they fizzle out once the heat of summertime arrive ? If so , then wishing bone flower ( Torenia fournieri ) is a great option . birth load of sunny flowers resonant of pansies – and in many of the same coloring material – this shade - resistant annual blooms nonstop from previous spring through dip , even during the hottest days of summer .
Most torenia plants mature into tidy mounds perfect for utilization as an edging or makeweight for shady bed and borders . But you could also find get behind type ( such as the Summer Wave ® series ) that work specially well in fall baskets and windowpane boxes . Many of the newer hybrid are also more patient of of heat , humidness , and drought than older varieties , make them top performers in a wide of the mark range of climate .
On this pageboy : Basics|Planting|Care|Varieties|Frequently Asked motion
BASICS
Botanical name:
Torenia fournieriand hybrids
Common names:
Wishbone heyday , torenia , clown efflorescence , summer pansy , bluewings
Plant type:
Tender perennial ( commonly grown as an annual )
Zones:
Usually grown as an yearly , may winter in Zones 10 - 11
Exposure:
Partial shade to full shade
Habit:
upright piano or trailing
Height/spread:
8 to 16 in tall and 8 to 10 inches wide-eyed . Trailing types may uprise up to 36 inches in duration .
Bloom time:
From late spring through the first frost
Flowers:
cornet - mold prime blossom in risque , regal , pink , white , chickenhearted , and various bicolors , often with contrast throats .
Special attributes:
Fun fact:
Why the common name wishbone flower ? If you peer into the bloom ’s pharynx when it first opens , you ’ll see two curved stamen that come together from opposite incline to form a form like a tiny chicken wishing bone .
HOW TO PLANT TORENIA
Hosta and torenia in a tint delimitation . picture by : Proven Winners .
When to plant:
In fountain , after the menace of frost has passed .
Where to plant:
For the best operation , choose a site that receives light to moderate shadowiness . Plants can take more sun in coolheaded northerly gardens . Although wishing bone flower can also be raise in cryptic tone , it wo n’t flower as profusely .
How to plant:
Plant in rich , loamy soil that provides good drainage . In heavyclay grime , work some compost or other constitutive matter into the ground before planting . For mass plantings , infinite plants about 8 to 10 in apart to provide for adequate air circulation .
When planting wishbone blossom in containers , select a pot with muddle for good drainage and fulfill with a free - draining soilless pot admixture .
Growing from seed:
Most newerToreniahybrids are sterile , but you could still buy seed for some varieties ( such as the Kauai ™ serial ) . In coolheaded climates , pop out the seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last mean rime date , planting them in biodegradable pots that you’re able to easily drink down into the garden .
Because the seeds need illumination to develop , do n’t cover them with ground . The seeds will develop in about 2 to 3 workweek when retain in a warm room ( around 70 ° F ) and in evenly moist soil . In frost - spare climate , you’re able to sow in the seeds directly in the garden in spring by push them gently into dampish grease .
Learn plants from seed .
TORENIA CARE
Watering:
Wishbone flowers like systematically moist ( but not sloughy ) conditions , so it ’s best to water whenever the top inch of dirt feels dry to the touch . To help keep on wet , amend the soil with organic thing and apply a bed of mulch . If planted in bay window , wishing bone bloom may need to be water daily during hot , dry weather . To preclude mold problems , keep the foliage dry by water at land level or by using a soaker hose .
Fertilizing:
To keep wishbone flower blooming vigorously throughout the summer , apply compost or aslow - release granular fertilizerat planting clock time . For plant growing in containers , fertilise every few week using a balancedwater - soluble plant food .
Pruning and deadheading:
Although pruning is n’t necessary , you’re able to fleece plant back by about half to boost bushier growth if they become to leggy . They will respond quickly with a young flush of blooms . Wishbone flowers are ego - houseclean , spare you the task of deadheading .
Pests and diseases:
Can be susceptible to fungous disease , such aspowdery mildewand root buncombe , specially when overwatered . Also be on the spotter for common garden pests , particularlyaphidsandwhiteflies .
TORENIA VARIETIES
picture by : Proven winner
Catalina ® Midnight Blue — Buy now from Proven WinnersToreniahybrid
Height and spread:8 to 16 inches marvelous , 8 to 10 inches wide
A striking combination of rich puritanical flower with yellow throats . A mounded , somewhat trail habit makes it a slap-up choice for both hanging baskets and container plantings .
Catalina ® Pink — Buy now from Proven WinnersToreniahybrid
Height and spread:8 to 12 inches tall , trails up to 24 inches
An improved pinkish interpretation with more flowers and a rattling mounding , get behind substance abuse . For use in shadowy , or sunny , locations .
Catalina ® Gilded Grape ™ —Buy now from Proven WinnersToreniahybrid
Height and spread:8 to 16 inches tall , trails up to 24 in
A unequalled yellow - bloom torenia with dark purple center . Wonderful for adding a bright pop of color to suspicious garden bottom .
Summer Wave ® Large Blue — Buy now from Proven WinnersToreniahybrid
peak and spread:8 to 10 inches marvelous , trails up to 36 inches
A crossbreed with magnanimous , true blue flowers that appear in abundance at the ends of trailing stems . Has excellent tolerance to heat , humidity , and drouth .
Catalina ® White Linen — Buy now from Proven WinnersToreniahybrid
Features crisp bloodless flowers with a soupcon of yellow in the pith . Lovely alone or when planted in combination with dark blue , empurpled , or pink torenias .
Summer Wave ® Large Amethyst — Buy now from Proven WinnersToreniahybrid
A vigorous trailing loan-blend sporting lush amethyst - empurpled blooms . Provides continuous color even throughout the hot calendar month of summertime .
Kauai ™ ' Lemon Drop’Toreniahybrid
peak and spread:8 inches marvelous and wide
This compact selection is named for the cheery splotch of lemon yellow that emphasise each petal . Bred for superior execution in uttermost heat and humidity .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Heaven send out container recipewith Catalina ® Midnight Blue torenia . exposure by : Proven Winners .
Is wishbone flower invasive?
Torenia(with the exclusion of aseptic hybrids ) will sometimes ego - sow under ideal condition , but are not considered to be invading .
Can you grow torenia in full sun?
Toreniacan adapt to full Sunday , especially when kept well - watered . However , in warmer climates , they will grow best when move over morning Lord’s Day and afternoon shadiness .
How do you keep torenia blooming?
Wishbone flower is a repeat bungle and requires very little seek to keep the flush come . If your industrial plant has stopped flowering , it may not be getting enough light , water , or fertilisation .
Does torenia come back every year?
In zones 10 - 11 , where winter are mild , wishbone flower is a perennial and can be produce outdoors year - circular . In cold climates , the plant must be grown as an annual because it will not survive exposure to rime .
What are good companion plants for wishbone flower?
In container plantings , torenias mate beautifully with many different shade - tolerant annuals , includinglobelia , coleus , creeping Jenny , impatiens , wax begonias , andDiamond Frost ® euphorbia . Or stress this eye - catchingcontainer recipefrom Proven Winners ( visualise ) , combining a dark blue wishbone flower with polka Department of Transportation plant and fiber optic grass .
To liven up a fishy garden bed , deliberate implant several varieties of wishbone flower in different colors , mixing them among yourhostas , fern , astilbe , and othershade - loving plants .
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