Torenia
Torenia fournieri |
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 There are torenias and torenias. The smaller flowered varieties seem somewhat more fragile, while the larger flowered versions are nearly indestructible. Go figure.
I have a mixed relationship with torenia. On the one hand, it has lush spreading foliage, and produces constant, evenly distributed flowers for a very long time. On the other hand, the flowers themselves are a tiny bit unsettly, resembling nothing so much as a shark's open maw. If this doesn't bother you (and ultimately, it didn't bother me), torenia is a great plant to fill up a slightly shady corner where you want steady bloom.
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| Vital Statistics |
| Type: |
Annual |
Water: |
frequent |
| Zone: |
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Sun: |
part sun to shade |
| Height: |
6-8" |
Soil: |
fertile, moist, well drained |
| Starting: |
Buy plants to use in beds, borders, and containers. |
Growing: |
A single torenia can grow to cover a 12" square area, so plan some space to let them spread. Treated right, they will bloom constantly from early summer until frost. They prefer cooler climates, and need a lot of water and preferably, some shade, during the hot summer days. If they survive midsummer, they should bloom until frost, and can even be potted up and brought in as houseplants. |
| Etymology: torenia = 'named for Swedish East India Co. chaplain Olaf Toren'; fournieri = 'shaped like a wishbone' |
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