Plant of the Week: Torenia

Common Name: Torenia, aka Wishbone Flower (Click for picture)
Latin Name: Torenia fournieri
Origin: Taiwan?

Torenia is an annual flower that will grow in both sun and part-shade. I'm guessing that here in Kansas, it really does best in part-shade and not so well in full sun. In the farther northern climes, it will most likely enjoy a bit more sun.

The plant tends to have a trailing habit, making it great for hanging baskets or container plantings. I personally am fond of it because it has such cheery, funny looking flowers. They have a classic trumpet shaped flower, and they usually have some sort of bicolor pattern that is reminiscent of a clown face, hence some of the older 'Clown Series' varieties of Torenia.