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HELIOTROPE “BLACK PRINCE” 
Patented by Quincy A. Shaw McKean Prides Crossing, Mass. 

The following is the originator’s introduction of this variety: 
This is a new and distinct variety of Heliotrope plant. While in Guatemala I came upon a Heliotrope plant that 
attracted my attention because it was so completely different from any in the line of Heliotrope I had seen theretofore. 
While I was assured the seeds would not germinate, nevertheless, I brought back to the United States hundreds of 
seeds from this plant. From all of these hundreds of seeds, I was successful in raising only three seedlings and each 
differed from the other. The great attractiveness of these three seedlings warranted preservation for they proved to be 
of a deeper, richer color shade of flower and foliage than the original or parent plant from which the seeds were 
taken, as above mentioned. I reproduced a goodly number of plants from each of these three seedlings, and grew 
these groups separately over a period of years to determine which of the three groups had the best growing habits. 
From these three distinct groups above mentioned, I selected the one group which I thought was most satisfactory 
and that constitutes the variety herein disclosed. All other plants were destroyed. The plants of the new variety come 
true to form by propagation only. 
The following description sets forth the established characters of this new variety, propagated entirely from cuttings, 
which shows a vigorous, luxuriant growth, tender or half-hardy when grown outdoors in northern latitudes. 
The most distinguishing feature of this new Heliotrope variety is its unique deep flower color, darker than any other 
variety known at this date. The foliage also, in its deep and heavy veinings, extra large leaves and very dark, metallic, 
and blackish violet-green suffusion is unique. 
The plant is adapted for border, bedding or specimen plants but may also be grown to standard or tree form. 
Flowering is continual and continuous, from sizable plants in Spring until frost in Autumn and may be taken indoors 
for winter blooming. 
It grows best in rather rich, mellow, loose, moist soil, but also thrives in any good garden soil. 
Taking up the more specific aspects of this new variety, the distinguishing features include a more vigorous, luxuriant 
growth as hereinbefore mentioned, larger, oblong-lanceolate, simple, pinnately veined, deeply crimped, wrinkled, rough 
veined or corrugated leaves; darker and richer colored flowers than other varieties or hybrids of the species or other 
species of Heliotrope; and more odoriferous or with stronger fragrance to the flowers than with other large-leaved 
Heliotrope varieties. 
Plants reach 3 or more feet in height in one season outdoors, branching freely from each leaf axil, and forming 
stocky, bushy, self-supporting growth. Leaves, even on young plants, will measure up to 5 inches or more in length, 
by 24 or more inches in width. Leaves are borne alternately but in almost opposite positions, alternate pairs being 
practically at right angles, but leaves appearing spirally arranged on the stem when viewed from above. 
The stocky stems and the petioles attain a rich and dark bronzy violet coloring which is also carried in a metallic 
sheen or lustre to the upper surface of the leaves, and stems are lightly covered with short, white, bristly hairs, giving 
it a somewhat gelatinous feel to the touch. 
Flowers are borne in very large terminal corymbs of coiled racemes and cymes, individual florets measuring about 3/16 
inch in diameter and borne in indeterminate clusters, corymbs reaching to 6 inches and more across. Flowers are 
uniformly darker in color under outdoor growing conditions, a blackish violet, and which is considered the true color. 
The color lightens to dark violet and fluorite-violet and to mulberry-purple on aging; lighter under hot-house 
conditions. 
The nearest matching of colors of this variety are as follows: 
Stems and unopened buds: Flowers: Leaves, young: Leaves, mature: 
Olivaceous Black UE eae Upper surface—Forest Green ea nner Green, 
, us ive-Green 
Opening buds: Dark Violet Under surface—Kronberg’s Green ; 
Prune Purple Blackest Violet Under surface—Pois Green 
Price: 244” pots 50c per plant, $5.00 per dozen, $35.00 per 100; 3” pots 75c per plant, 
$6.00 per dozen, $45.00 per 100; 4” pots $1.00 per plant, $7.50 per dozen. 
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