Torenias – My Mystery Flowers

Torenias – Wishbone Flowers – Clown Flowers

While I was searching for a new flowering plant for my garden, I found one interesting plant with a bunch of nice little bi-color flowers in a nursery garden. The flower does kind of looked like a pansy at a distance, but on the closer look it resembled a snapdragon. There were two colors in that type and I have bought both the types. The very next day, I planted them in a new spacious pot and left it on my balcony. When I went to check on it the next day, to my surprise there were so many flowers and the foliage was very fresh and refreshingly green.

Torenia Flower

Torenia Flower – Purple

Torenia Flower – Pink

Torenia Plant with Flowers

When I did a search on the net, I found out that these are Torenias or Wishbone flowers. Wishbones are the forked bones found in the birds, connecting their neck to their breasts. The stamen of this flower does kind of look like a bird’s wishbone, hence the name wishbone flower. These stamens are visible clearly only in fully blossomed flowers.

Note: There is an old custom involving this wishbone. When two people holds (each person holding the bone by its ends) and breaks this wishbone of a cooked bird, the person holding the longer part of the bone is believed to have his/her wish granted for sure.

Torenia flower is also known by the name “Clown Flowers” as these flowers resemble a clown’s face. I am so happy that I chose these plants as these not only blooms like crazy, also keeps my daughter very happy. She is very happy to count the number of flowers in each color everyday.

Un-opened Flower Buds of Torenia

These Torenia flowers are shade-lovers although they can resist partial sun or full sun in cold places. It attracts flock butterflies and bees when kept outside. These are low-growing annual plants, growing to a height of about 12 inches which make them perfect choice for hanging baskets, borders or as an indoor plant. The color of the flowers ranges from, blue, purple, pink white, yellow, bi-color etc. Torenias bring bright color to the shady area when planted in a full or in a partially shaded place in the garden.

Butterfly on a Torenia Plant

Common name: Wishbone Flower, Clown Flower, Bluewings
Botanical name: Torenia fournieri
Family: Linderniaceae