Lisianthus

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General Description/History

A relative new-comer to the cut flower scene, Lisianthus has established itself as the flower the public loves with the name no one remembers! Native to the prairies of southern USA, new forms of this flower were developed in the 1980’s in Japan and more recently in NZ, Europe and the US.

Lisianthus stems bear many (at least 5) buds and flowers in pastel shades. Buds are tightly furled and ‘unwind’ to form the open flowers; upper flowers open first. There are now single and double petalled forms and a range of pastel shades from white to cream, pink to purple, yellow and even pale green. Multi-coloured varieties with striped petals are now also available. Single petal forms look like over-open tulips, while the doubles look like peonies with their masses of soft petals.

Lisianthus are mostly grown in glasshouses. They flower normally in summer, and can be grown as field crops at this time of the year, but quality of field-grown flowers is usually poor compared to those grown under cover. Most are grown in the hills close to Melbourne or Sydney.

What to look for

  • One open flower and at least 4 coloured buds;
  • Straight strong stems with glossy leaves;
  • Avoid bunches with yellow leaves and wilted tips of stems.

Flower Care

  1. Keep cool at all times.
  2. Strip leaves from the lower half of each stem.
  3. Recut at least 2 cm off each stem with sharp secateurs and place in water immediately.
  4. Preservative is essential as this will help buds colour up and open fully.
  5. Replace water every day.
  6. Lisianthus is sensitive to ethylene. Keep them away from fruit, car exhausts and cigarette smoke.
  7. Unlike many cut flowers, Lisianthus like sun. Placing bunches in full sun helps buds reach full colour. But take care to regularly top up the water and don’t do this on hot days.

Botanical Name: Eustoma grandiflorum

Common Names: Lisianthus, Prairie Gentian, Texas Blue-bell

Stem Length: 30 to 70 cm

Country of Origin: USA

Available Colours: Cream, Green, Pink, Purple, White, Yellow

Season: Summer,Autumn,Winter,Spring

Availability: January,February,March,April,May,June,July,August,September,October,November,Decemeber