An effective fruit fly bait can also be made by combining 1 part citronella oil with 10 parts water, pouring the mixture into clean glass jars and hang in fruit trees or where fruit flies are a problem. Replace bait weekly. Citronella grass can also be used in cooking much the same way as lemon grass, and makes a refreshing cool herbal tea for Summer, and a warming brew in Winter. The Ancients recognised this characteristic, and applied it to mythology. Heliotrope is a perennial shrub growing to 80cm with woody branching stems, plants dislike severe frosts or hot winds, mulch around the base in spring, to encourage continuous flowering through to autumn, Flowers have many uses, they can be used to sent herbal bouquets and potpourri, and have been cultivated for perfumery and scenting bath waters.
Flowers are edible and make a colourful addition to salads and desserts.
Many people use the flowers when custard making to make use of the vanilla flavouring. A smaller growing plant to 40cm, with bright golden leaves and pale mauve flowers, Heliotropium arborescens ' Lord Roberts' A dark leaf form with blackish purple leaves and deep purple flowers, this is the most robust form and has interesting foliage colour. A very popular culinary herb, the savoury leaves are excellent in Italian cooking, meat dishes, stuffing and pizzas. Oregano is easy to grow given the right conditions, it grows from a creeping perennial rootstock, the leaves form a dense mat which makes and ideal ground cover for keeping down weeds. In Queensland oregano needs a well drained sunny position and is an excellent plant for sandy soils.