Illustration
Wishbone Flower
Torenia fournieri
Wishbone Flower blooms from June through September.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Wishbone Flower
Plant it in part shade. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 10–11. Expect it to reach about 10 in tall and 12 in wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year (not yet checked).
What was checked
Mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not, and each fact above says which. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Wishbone Flower
Wait until all danger of frost has passed, then plant out Wishbone Flower into warm soil; in most zones that means late spring. Planted then, it flowers from June to September.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 10, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 10 in January. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Wishbone Flower get?
10 intall5 ft 7 inan adult12 inwideSee Wishbone Flower in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Wishbone Flower
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Wishbone Flower about 12 in apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Wishbone Flower to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Wishbone Flower's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags were checked against 10 published sources on July 30, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- almanac.comThe Old Farmer's Almanac, How to Grow Wishbone Flowersheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- gardendesign.comGarden Design, How to Grow & Care for Wishbone Flower (Torenia)height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Clemson Home and Garden Information CenterWishbone Flowerheight, spread, sun and trait tags
- Fine GardeningTorenia fournieri, wishbone flowerheight, spread, sun and years to mature size
- Missouri Botanical GardenTorenia fournieriheight, spread, hardiness zones and sun
- NC State ExtensionTorenia fournieriheight, spread, sun and years to mature size
- University of Florida IFASUF/IFAS Gardening Solutions (Torenia)height, hardiness zones and sun
- Iowa State University Extensionand Outreach, Annuals for the Shadeheight and sun
- University of Georgia ExtensionBulletin B954, Flowering Annuals for Georgia Gardensheight and sun
- University of Florida IFASUF/IFAS Master Gardener Volunteer Plant Identification module (Torenia...height
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Comes in 5 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Compare every color in the Wishbone Flower group
Every figure is the color's own page fact. Tap a name to open it.
| Name | Color | Blooms | Hardiness | Sun | Size (H × W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalina Midnight Blue | Blue | Jun–Sep | Zones 10–11 | Part shade | 10 in × 12 in |
| Kauai Rose | Purple | Jun–Sep | Zones 10–11 | Part shade | 10 in × 12 in |
| Pink | Pink | Jun–Sep | Zones 10–11 | Part shade | 10 in × 12 in |
| White | White | Jun–Sep | Zones 10–11 | Part shade | 10 in × 12 in |
| Wishbonethis page | Purple | Jun–Sep | Zones 10–11 | Part shade | 10 in × 12 in |
| Yellow | Yellow | Jun–Sep | Zones 10–11 | Part shade | 10 in × 12 in |
Good to know about Wishbone Flower
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
Worth knowing
The name comes from two stamens inside each bloom that join in a wishbone shape. They are not just decorative: an entering bee brushes against them during pollination. per Clemson and Frontiers in Plant Science
Does it love heat?
Sources split: it is a warmth-loving tropical, yet Missouri Botanical Garden says it dislikes intense heat. The truth: it wants warmth with shade and steady moisture, not dry sun. per Missouri Botanical Garden and IFAS
Upright or trailing habit
Two habits sell. Upright bedding types stay compact, about 0.15 to 0.25 m tall and wide; trailing types reach similar height but spill 0.3 to 0.75 m wide in baskets. per Clemson and IFAS
A top shade annual
One of the best flowering annuals for shade, blooming in part to full shade. Gardeners often use it as a stand-in for impatiens in shady beds and baskets. per NC State
No deadheading needed
The spent flowers drop on their own and it reblooms without deadheading, a big part of its low-maintenance appeal. Pinch young plants once for bushier growth. per Clemson
No toxicity reported
It does not appear on the ASPCA toxic or non-toxic list and carries no NC State poison rating, so no source flags it as poisonous to pets or people. per ASPCA and NC State
Powdery mildew in humid shade
The humidity, crowding, and shade that make it bloom also favor powdery mildew. Space plants for air flow, water at the base, and remove infected leaves early. per UMass and Missouri Botanical Garden
What pairs well with Wishbone Flower
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Azalea
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; taller at 4 ft, for the layer behind it; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months.
Camellia
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in midwinter, before this one opens; stands well above at 6.5 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months.
Lungwort
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; taller at 12 in, for the layer behind it.
Witch Hazel
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; stands well above at 10 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Hellebore
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Virginia Bluebells
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; taller at 1.5 ft, for the layer behind it.
Snowdrop
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; its white flowers settle the purple.
Northern Sea Oats
Shares part shade and moderate water; taller at 3.5 ft, for the layer behind it; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; orange against purple, for contrast.
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Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.