Wishbone Flower
(Blue Torenia, Bluewings)
Torenia fournieri. SCROPHULARIACEAE.
Planting and Growing Wishbone Flower
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow wishbone flower in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of wishbone flower
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for wishbone flower
- Season of bloom and planting time for wishbone flower
- When, how deep, and where to plant wishbone flower
- How to plant wishbone flower
- Watering, fertilizing, care, and pests or diseases of wishbone flower
- Landscape and container uses of wishbone flower
- Comments about wishbone flower and its features
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Growing Wishbone Flower
A few cultivars of branching, tropical annual herbs, to 1 ft. (30 cm) tall and wide. Opposite, textured, deep to blue green, broadly oval, toothed leaves, to 2 in. (50 mm) long.
Planting and Care Guide
Blooms
Showy, purple, violet, white, irregular, 5-petaled flowers, to 1‑1/4‑in. (32‑mm) wide, each with a yellow, oval petal highlight or other patterned contrasts, in summer–late autumn.
Best Climates
Plant as tender annual, zones 3–8; self-seeding, zones 4–11.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained humus. Fertility: Rich. 6.5–7.5 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Spring in partial to full shade, 6–8 in. (15–20 cm) apart, after frost hazard has passed. Start seed indoors 6–8 weeks before final frost for early blooms; transplant when frost hazard has passed.
Proper Care
Moderate. Keep evenly moist. Fertilize monthly. Pinch foliage buds to promote bushy growth. Propagate by seed.
About This Plant
Good choice for accents, hanging baskets, borders, containers, edgings in rock, shade, tropical gardens. Pest and disease resistant.