January 2022 - 34

CULTURE REPORT
Heliotropium
'Augusta Lavender'
Unlike the heliotropes you may be familiar with, this new selection boasts
flower power, increased vigor, delightful fragrance and pollinator appeal.
BY JOHN GAYDOS
T
he lavender-purple flowers of 'August
Lavender' are delicately ringed with a
starry yellow eye, and its flower clusters
are quite fragrant. This plant was selected by
Proven Winners for its ability to withstand drought,
high heat and consumer neglect. 'Augusta
Lavender' was bred by using its predecessor,
'Simply Scentsational', as a springboard.
It was widely praised across southern markets
and won Dallas Arboretum's FlameProof Plant
award. Its bloodlines have a history of heat and
drought tolerance built-in. However, 'Augusta
Lavender' builds on this framework with
increased vigor, greater flower power and a much
better growth potential. In addition to being
quite fragrant, the abundant flowers attract a
wide range of pollinators including native bees,
honey bees, butterflies, moths, and of course
plenty of hummingbirds.
PERFORMANCE
New genetics and improvements to known
favorites are the lifeblood of the horticultural
industry, as well as being a hot topic for
every gardener and garden club across the
nation. Proven Winners, like most providers
of new product lines, use a network of state
universities and public gardens to test our
newest introductions. These independently run
garden trials publish trial results that provide
performance information in a wide range of
climates. This feedback is necessary for strong
introductions and potential improvements to
existing plants.
Trials conducted across the nation in 2021,
show time and time again that 'Augusta
Lavender' heliotrope is one of the top performers.
34 JANUARY 2022 GPNMAG.COM
The accolades were not just from southern
tier trials, but from northern and midwestern
trials as well. The University of Georgia named
'Augusta Lavender' as one of their 2021 Classic
City Award-winning varieties - their top award.
Oklahoma State and Cornell University graded
it a top performer. In the North, the University
of Wisconsin, Madison gave 'Augusta Lavender'
perfect scores based upon flower performance
and overall garden presence. Oregon State also
gave the plant a perfect score and mentioned
flower counts exceeding 500 flower clusters per
plant. Finally, Colorado State awarded the Novelty
Plant of the Year to 'Augusta Lavender'.
Why are all these awards important? Think
back to this year's heat load and the level of
summer drought that many experienced. Having
a variety perform well across multiple soil types,
as well as climatic conditions, and consistently
come out on top brings to light how tough and
beautiful this plant is.
GROWING GUIDELINES
'Augusta Lavender' is as easy to grow as
it is beautiful. Similar to all heliotropes,
'Augusta Lavender' grows best in bright warm
conditions. Maintain day temperatures between
65 and 72° F; night temperatures can run 5
degrees lower without any adverse reaction.
Heliotropes are not picky when it comes to soil
media as long as the average pH stays within
the range of 6.0 to 6.5. Average fertilizer rates
of 150 to 200 ppm (CLF) will keep the plant
growing green and branching well. If leaves
become lighter green this could indicate that
your pH had drifted out of the proper range, or
that the soil media is too wet. It is best to run
your soils moderately dry and when fertigating;
water well, but not frequently.
Scout regularly for aphids and whitefly.
Treatment should begin immediately once any
insects are found and follow-up scouting and
treatment as needed should be common sense.
'Augusta Lavender' responds well to tip
removal or pinching. Pinch once two weeks after
transplant, when the liners are rooted in and
have reached the side of the container. For large
containers and baskets, an additional pinch
three to four weeks after the initial pinch can be
beneficial. Growth can also be controlled through
the use of 5 to 10 ppm of Sumagic or 2,500 ppm
of B-Nine.
FINISH TIMING
Normal growing conditions will allow for a
Grande or 4.25-inch container to be finished in
five to seven weeks. Royale or gallon containers
finish in eight to 10 weeks with two liners per
pot, and larger containers like 10- to 12-inch
baskets and uprights will finish in 12 weeks with
three to five liners per container (liner count is
dependent upon container size.)
'Augusta Lavender' heliotrope will finish
beautifully as hanging monoculture containers,
yet work very well in many planter recipes and
as a landscape crop. Make sure you have plenty
of Grandes and Royales for the home landscaper.
The color, the fragrance and performance under
less than desirable conditions make 'Augusta
Lavender' a Proven Winner!
John Gaydos is director of product development and
promotion for Proven Winners. He can be reached at
john@provenwinners.com.
http://www.GPNMAG.COM
January 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2022
