pronounced: ee-VOLV-yoo-luss glom-er-AH-tuss
The Latin word evolvulus means ‘unrolled’, i.e., non-twining; and glomeratus is also Latin, ‘gathered into a ball’.
This non-vining tender perennial with trailing stems is native to Brazil and Paraguay, where it grows in open plains and prairies on dry sandy or rocky soils. It is a low-spreading subshrub with simple, alternate and hairy silver-green foliage, that grows in a low spreading mound up to about 90 cm in diameter, but to no more than about 30 cm tall. The stems become woody as they age. The leaves and stems are densely downy, covered with a light grey fuzz. The ovate leaves are about 2.5 cm long by 1.3 cm wide.
The abundant flowers are small, bell-shaped, blue morning-glories that bloom throughout the growing season. They are borne individually in leaf axils near the tips of the stems. They are about 2.5 cm across, with 5 pale lavender or powder blue petals and white throats. The blooms close up in the afternoon, at night, and on cloudy days, and new flowers open in the morning.
The fruits are inconspicuous.
Well-suited as an edging plant, Blue Daze will cascade beautifully over the side of a stone wall, a raised planter, a container, or a hanging basket. It grows well in full sun in poor but well-drained sandy soils It can tolerate a little shade, especially at midday. and likes frequent watering; but very rainy periods or over-watering will usually cause fungus problems and the premature death of the plant. The plant needs very little water in winter, and needs the humidity to be low when the temperature is low.
Propagation may be from softwood cutting or by seed; but the fact that the stems tend to root where they touch the ground means that rooted stems may be separated out from the mother plant.
The plant is highly tolerant of salt, which makes it a useful plant in coastal gardens, or in a planter on an oceanside balcony.
