Eustoma - common name: Lisianthus

My father is wonderful at growing plants from seed and under lights. One year he brought me a plant I had never heard of: Lisianthus (pronounced lizzie-ANN-thus).

What a beauty!! It looks like a rose and lasts for weeks as a cut flower.

The true name of Lisianthus is Eustoma, and it is a genus of the Gentianaceae family. It is commonly found on the American Prairie and in the Southern United States, Mexico, the Caribbean and northern South America.
Here it is grown and planted as an annual, growing 18-24" tall. Often, there are many blooms on a single stem. I do stake them because they will bend in bad storms.

Lisianthus come in a variety of colours. This year I have a mauve-blue, white and bi-colour.

Lisianthus can be challenging to grow. As I said, my Dad grows them from seed but they must be started very early, not just several weeks before planting. The seeds are tiny and therefore hard to see. But he has been successful year after year and they are now a staple in mine and his garden.

They enjoy being planted in rich fertile soil. They like moist soil but dislike being over-watered. They tolerate drought very well.

Other common names include Prairie Rose, Texas Bluebell and Prairie Gentian.

If you feel that trying to grow them from seed would be too frustrating and time-consuming, look for some started plants at your local nursery next spring. They truly are a satisfying, beautiful annual to have in your garden and in vases within your home.

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The Power of Annuals

Datura, grown by my Dad from seed in 2009

Today is September 1st.
It's been a long hot dry summer here in southern Ontario.
I used the sprinkler more this summer than any other summer in the past years. Days upon days of furnace-like heat and humidity made a few plants shrivel up and croak, if I didn't water them soon enough.
Most of my perennials have come and gone, leaving behind green foliage.

All I can say is - thank goodness for ANNUALS!!!
They are the only flowers still blooming at the moment and most are very beautiful.

My lime green coleus and burgundy coleus are strong shocks of colour in the front garden

Multi-coloured impatiens puffed up 10x their original size

In my front garden, I had my godson Rob carve out a section from the invading periwinkle. The area proved to be my best "pop" of colour and had great curb appeal. Among the flowers are Dusty Miller, allyssum, ageratum, petunia, pelargoniums and lisianthus with 2 barberry bushes as background.

Here is my show-stopper: Lisianthus, also known as Prairie Gentian, Texas Bluebell and Prairie Rose. In fact it's often mistaken for a rose.

These plants are very long-lasting in pots or in garden beds.

As cut flowers, they can last up to 2 weeks in a vase!

They have a reputation of being very finicky and hard to grow from seed but my Dad is very successful at it and gives me some each year. 

Everyone grows pelargoniums and yes, they are very "ordinary" but they are garden work-horses: always looking good from early spring until the very end of autumn. I make sure I have some in the garden every year.

Soon enough, we'll be closing the pool and the long summer days will be gone……
But then comes AUTUMN :)
Cooler days, deliciously cool nights and still lots happening in the garden!!