Trachelium

Trachelium, also known as Throatwort, form a striking visual effect when viewed en masse, often carpeting a clearing with a deep-blue or white haze. Named after the Greek word meaning ‘rough throat’, this flowering plant is a popular choice with florists for providing both texture and colour to an arrangement.

Description
Trachelium take the form of a small group of flowers crowning a tall leafy stem. Usually found in shades of blue (Blue Throatwort) or white (White Throatwort), this is an annual/biennial herbaceous perennial. Bushy and soft in appearance, this plant is often lightly scented and flowers from mid-summer to early autumn.

Habitat
Originally from Portugal, this plant is native to the Mediterranean region and therefore requires a warm climate to thrive. It is best grown indoors from seed. With around seven varieties ranging from 60 to 90cm in height, these small perennials can often be spotted in colourful garden borders.

Availability
Trachelium are available all year round in a number of different colours and shades, from purple and blue to white and pink. With a vase life of around 7 to 10 days, this is a good choice for elegant indoor decoration.

Species
The Trachelium is a small genus belonging to the bellflower (Campanulaceae) family.

Care Tips
Trachelium require a great deal of water. Since they originate from hot climates, they also require around 18 hours of natural light a day.

If you do choose to grow these delicate flowers, you will need moist but well-drained soil and an area of land that gets as much sunlight as possible.

Water whenever possible in dry conditions and line the soil with fertiliser to assist the growth of fuller flowers. Once they are planted and have bloomed, just water and remove dead flower heads to promote new blossoms.

Did You Know?
Although the nickname Throatwort came from the ancient method of using the flower to aid sore throats, the plant itself is said to symbolise neglected beauty.

References
http://www.types-of-flowers.org/trachelium.html
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=4206