Seriously Pretty
Clown flowers are nothing to laugh at
By Tom Hewitt
As author Catherynne Valente writes in The Girl Who Raced Fairyland All the Way Home: “Flowers are always more serious than they appear.” This holds true even if a plant goes by the whimsical name of clown flower.
Cascading torenias are great for containers, like those in this pallet planter. Photo by Tom Hewitt
To be perfectly honest, I’ve always had a hard time seeing a clown face in clown flowers. I find it much easier to see why torenias (Torenia fournieri and hybrids) are also called wishbone flowers. Look closely when they first open, and you’ll see how two stamens from opposite sides are fused together to resemble a little “wishbone”.
When I first started growing torenias back in the 1970’s, there wasn’t much to choose from. They were called bluewings back then, aptly named for the blue-purple tips on their petals. They also had a bright yellow patch on their throats, which supposedly helped guide pollinators. I remember how excited I was to discover a light pink one at a garden center one day, after years of assuming they only came in purple.
Back then we also called them summer pansies, as they made a great substitute for real pansies when heat and humidity took their toll. They bloomed for months on end and self-sowed prolifically. They weren’t as showy as impatiens and other bedding annuals, however, so I used them mainly in pots and window boxes.
By the time downy mildew began decimating impatiens, however, new varieties of torenias were already on the market. The ‘Clown’ series was introduced in the 1980’s, ushering in an era of bigger blooms and increased hardiness. Consequently, many modern hybrids are now as showy in beds as they are in containers.
Torenias make good substitutes for pansies during the summer months. Photo by Tom Hewitt
Newer cascading varieties have larger flowers. Photo by Tom Hewitt
The ‘Summer Wave’ series by Proven Winners is a nice cascading variety, coming in such tempting names as ‘Amethyst Ice’ and ‘Large Violet’. ‘Large Blue’ is an interspecific hybrid with a height of 10 inches and a spread of 3 feet. They are supposedly more drought tolerant, but all torenias love their water. The trick is to keep their soil moist, but not saturated. To facilitate drainage, use potting mix instead of potting soil.
Although many new varieties are touted as being able to handle more sun, I always put them in light to moderate shade. Some varieties bloom well even in deep shade, but growing them in areas that receive more light greatly ups your choices for companion plants. Still, it’s very important to match the growth habit of a particular torenia with that of its companions.
Torenias are good companions for other shade-lovers, like coleus. Photo by Tom Hewitt
Standard varieties of most flowers can quickly overwhelm smaller varieties of torenias. For example, I wouldn’t mix smaller torenias with standard ornamental sweet potato vine like ‘Marguerite’ or ‘Blackie’, but I wouldn’t hesitate to use them with more compact, less-aggressive Ipomoea batatas varieties like the ‘Spotlight’ series. Compact varieties of torenias also pair well with lobelia, compact coleus, creeping Jenny and wax begonias.
Yes, clown flowers even come in white and yellow these days! Photo by Tom Hewitt
More robust, cascading varieties like the ‘Moon’ and ‘Summer Wave’ series are a different story, however, as they’re able to hold their own amongst bigger plants in containers. A combo of ‘Alabama Sunset’ coleus, ‘Yellow Moon’ torenia and salmon SunPatiens comes to mind, as does a mix of pink dragon wing begonias and the ‘Summer Wave’ torenia named ‘Large Silver’.
Compact varieties of torenias still have their place in smaller containers, however. The ‘Duchess Mix’ is cute and tidy, with ‘Blue and White’ having a white throat and royal blue rim. The ‘Panda’ series only gets 4-8 inches high, and comes in a wide range of colors.
Torenias make good cutting flowers for small arrangements. Photo by Tom Hewitt
Torenias make good cut flowers, and can last a long time. But they have short, delicate stems, so they only work in small arrangements. Still, they can be very showy when mixed with baby’s breath or sprigs of lantana. Even their seedheads are ornamental, so there is no need to remove them in arrangements or deadhead them in the garden.
Even the chartreuse seedheads of torenias are attractive. Photo by Tom Hewitt
Most newer torenia hybrids are sterile, but you can still get seed for older varieties, and even some newer ones. The ‘Kauai Mix’ is nice for small containers, topping out at 8 inches or so. Seed is also available for the slightly taller ‘Clown’ series. Torenia seeds need light to germinate but shouldn’t be planted too deep. Cover lightly or simply press them gently into moist soil. Be sure to pinch seedlings when young to encourage branching.
Go easy on fertilizing torenias. To give them a boost, use a water-soluble bloom-boosting fertilizer at half strength. If they continue to refuse to bloom, they may be in too much shade.
Tom Hewitt is a garden designer and consultant from West Palm Beach.
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