Family: Boraginaceae
Common name: Indian heliotrope, Indian turnsole
Indian heliotrope is a very common weed with a uniquely curved arrangement of small white flowers, commonly seen on roadsides, open areas, wastelands, and pastures. They are native to the tropical regions of India, Malaysia, and Indonesia, but they have also spread to other parts of the world, such as Africa, Australia, and the Americas.
Plant Characteristics
Indian heliotropes are small, bushy annual or perennial herbs that can grow up to 60 cm tall. The leaves and stem are covered with small, stiff white hairs giving them a velvety sheen.
The stem is green, hairy, and branching, and it has a strong, pleasant fragrance that attracts bees and other pollinators. Leaves are simple, dark green, lance-shaped, arranged alternately along the stem, about 10 cm long.
Indian heliotrope flowers are small and white, arranged in clusters at the tips of the branches, the ends of the inflorescence are coiled beautifully like a rainbow.
Flowers are present only on the upper surface of the inflorescence. They have a slight fragrance and bloom from summer to fall. The fruit is a small, about 3mm long, rough-textured nutlet containing four seeds.
Growing Tips
Indian heliotrope plants are quite sturdy and drought-tolerant, growing well in a variety of weather conditions. They can stand harsh sunlight, heavy rainfall, waterlogging, poor soil conditions, and overcrowding.
They grow in bright sunlight on roadsides and open areas with other common weeds, in areas with good rainfall. They do not need watering, fertilization, pruning, or pesticide application.
Uses of Indian Heliotrope
Indian heliotrope has been used in traditional medicine for centuries to treat a variety of ailments. The plant contains several bioactive compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoids, and glycosides, that have therapeutic properties.
They have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. Hence these plants are used in the treatment of warts, diabetes, inflammations, headache, heat rash, tumors, skin diseases, ulcers, diarrhea, asthma, conjunctivitis, cold, cough, stomach ailments, arthritis, rheumatism, fever, respiratory ailments, and more.
The fragrance from the flowers attracts bees, insects, and ants that help pollinate the flowers. These plants are not invasive and can be removed easily by handpicking.
Propagation
Propagation is through seeds.
If you would like to grow wild plants in your garden, make sure you collect some soil in which they are growing, so that they can grow in their natural environment. They do not thrive in home gardens as you would imagine they would, with the extra care and attention you give them.
