Not Coleus, Not Impatiens: The Vibrant Annual Flower That's Great For A Pollinator Garden

Bees and butterflies, rejoice! That's what you might say when you bring home a certain heat- and drought-tolerant flowering plant with unique blooms. You may rejoice, as well, because this charmer from Australia is super easy to maintain. Meet 'Whirlwind' blue fan flower, a cultivar of Scaevola aemula, which is among the flowering annuals that will last all summer. The 'Whirlwind' cultivar is a herbaceous perennial that is grown as an annual outside the warmest USDA Hardiness Zones (10 to 11) and is beloved by pollinators. The plant will grow as much as 1½ feet tall and 2 feet wide.

'Whirlwind' blue fan flower's unusual blooms will bring whimsy to your pollinator garden and cascade from your raised beds with their trailing habit. They look as though you cut bluish purple, daisy-style flowers in half, forming fan-shaped flowers that cluster around branches of foliage. The plant loves arid summer heat and gives off a slight fragrance in the evenings. It's also deer-resistant. 'Whirlwind' blue fan flower exemplifies its easy care as one of the varieties of self-cleaning flowers that doesn't require deadheading.

To care for 'Whirlwind' blue fan flower, transplant it from nursery pots after the last frost in the spring in moist, fertile, well-draining soil that is at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Place in a spot with full sun or partial shade. Water regularly, ensuring the soil has dried out completely before the next watering, and never let the flower's roots sit in water.

Grown as an annual, this plant doesn't need fertilizer. This fan flower needs no more than light pruning, but you can pinch back any stem legginess. As a patented plant 'Whirlwind' blue fan flower cannot be propagated without a license (learn why propagating plants could cause you a legal headache). No significant pest or disease issues plague this plant. While many gardeners start fresh with new 'Whirlwind' blue fan flowers in the spring, it's possible to move your 'Whirlwind' blue fan flowers into pots and overwinter them indoors.