Lisianthus flowers belong to the Gentianaceae family and have three species. Its name comes from the Greek words lysis and anthos which mean dissolution and flower, respectively. They are also commonly known by other names such as Texas Bluebell, Prairie Gentian, Tulip gentian, Bluebells and Lira de San Pedro.
Single forms of lisianthus flowers resemble tulips or poppies while double forms resemble roses or peonies. They’re also part of the carnation family and are native to Southern USA, Mexico, Northern South America and the Caribbean.
Types
ABC 2 Purple
With double petals and a stunning, deep-purple color, these flowers grow up to 45 inches tall and grow best in full sun and the partial shade of the afternoon.
ABC 2 Rose
These have pink, ruffle-edged petals and look beautiful in vases and containers. They are double blooms that do best in full sun and partial shade.
Advantage Cherry Sorbet
With ruffled, deep-pink petals, they bloom in early Summer and are absolutely stunning, getting up to 32 inches in height.
Arena Red
Like the name suggests, these flowers have bright-red petals in various shades that make them a must for anyone who loves red.
Balboa White
These double-blooms in bright white sit atop 3-feet-tall stems and are absolutely stunning. They also look great next to flowers in other colors, because they match everything.
Black Pearl
Although not actually black, these extra-deep purple blooms are close to it, and their bright-green leaves give the flowers a certain flair.
Charisma Blue
These petals are extra deep-blue in color and almost plum-colored. They have bright-yellow centers that make them absolutely stunning.
Charisma Lavender
Soft lavender with blushes of creamy-white throughout the petals, this plant is a must-have for anyone who adores shades of lavender and purple in their flowers.
Charisma Rose
This flower has deep rose-pink petals that are eye-catching and leaves that perfectly complement those petals.
Charisma White
This one has petals that are so white they look almost lilac in color, and they look extraordinary next to their beautiful green leaves, making them truly stand out.
Charisma Yellow
This Lisianthus flower is a creamy yellow and has leaves that are a beautiful shade of green to complement the petals.
Corelli 3 Apricot
Ruffled petals and a pink-apricot color enhance this large-bloom flower, which has an elegant look and gets up to 40 inches in height.
Corelli 3 Blue
With double, fringed petals in a deep-blue color, this flower is certainly eye-catching and has beautiful green leaves to make it stand out even more.
Flare White
This Lisianthus flower has beautiful creamy-white petals with soft yellow-green centers, making them delicate-looking and perfect for bouquets.
Forever Blue
These have violet-purple petals and stalks that are 10 inches high; their petals are also velvety and soft.
Forever White
These flowers have won several flower awards and have petals that are pure-white and sit on top of stalks that are 10 inches high, meaning it is not necessary to stake them.
Lisa Pink
More compact than others, this Lisianthus comes in a beautiful shade of pink and is quite compact, with stems that only grow up to 8 inches high.
Mariachi Blue
Blooming in early-Summer, this flower has blue-violet petals and grows up to 2 feet in height. Although not very tall, they may still need staking in order to look their best.
Mariachi Lime Green
With petals that are a delicate and gorgeous shade of light lime-green, this flower gets up to 2 feet high and is long-lasting, looking stunning in vases and containers.
Mariachi Yellow
These flowers consist of soft-yellow petals and light-green centers, and they need staking because they can get up to 3 feet in height.
Mint Cocoa
Although oddly colored, this plant is a favorite among many growers and consists of soft brownish-green petals that have a more Victorian look than other Lisianthus plants. The petals are ruffled and elegant, and it has 2-inch blossoms that look great when paired with other types of flowers of the same color.
Purple
A deep-purple color with a yellow-and-black center that looks like royalty. Perfect for people who love this gorgeous color!
Roseanne Black Pearl
These flowers have full, double-petals that are ruffled on the edges and come in a purple that is so deep, it looks like black instead.
Super Magic Champagne
The Super Magic Champagne has soft-peach petals that fade to cream at the tops, and they get up to 3 feet high. They also look beautiful in vases and containers, and bloom in early-Summer.
White Rose
A beautiful white Lisianthus whose petals are shaped just like those on roses and are just as lovely.
Facts about Lisianthus Flowers
- With long stems, small green leaves, and multi-layered blooms, Lisianthus flowers – also known as Eustoma – come in numerous colors and cultivars.
- Because the name is often difficult for people to pronounce, they are often called Lizzies.
- People often mistake them for roses or peonies.
- Common names for the Lisianthus include Texas Bluebells, Blue Field Daisies, and Prairie Gentians.
- The Latin names are used to describe their characteristics – eustoma means “good mouth,” which refers to the beautiful throat and petals of the flower; and grandiflora means “large flowers,” which is appropriate because the blooms are approximately three inches wide.
- One of its closest relatives is the Persian violet.
- The flowers are geotropic, which means if you place them somewhere horizontally, the force of gravity causes the flower to curl upward towards the sky.
- Their shape is cup-like, resembles tulips, and includes both double- and triple-flowered varieties. Doubles are the biggest sellers.
- They come in a wide range of colors and shades, including bicolor; white; red; green; purples, including deep-purple and violet; and pastels that include pink, yellow, lavender, salmon/coral, and bright pink.
- They are best suited for warmer climates or as indoor plants. They are delicate and should never be exposed to frost, so if you plant them outdoors, you should wait until late-Spring to do so.
- They are best when grown in zones 8-11, and they grow from 12 to 24 inches in height. They also do best in neutral to slightly acidic soil, which should always be kept moist but well-drained.
- Lisianthus means “bitter flower,” named that because the flowers were originally used in herbal medicine and had a bitter taste.
- Many people have no idea what they are, because they look so similar to other types of flowers.
The Many Advantages of Growing House Plants
You can build a connection with your plants.
It may sound silly, but it is a very fulfilling thing to have a “relationship” with your plants. There can even be a spiritual connection between you and that plant on your dining room table or window sill. Planting flowers, shrubs, and herbs yourself is very satisfying, and in fact, it can create an entirely new outlook on your life.
Research has even shown that the more time you spend outdoors and get your hands dirty taking care of plants, the more likely you are to have fulfilling relationships with other people. Having living plants around simply improves your quality of life, making you much happier overall.
You can gain better concentration and memory by growing plants.
Because you have to remember certain tasks in order to keep your plants healthy and thriving, this can lead to an increased efficiency in remembering other things. Some studies have even suggested that growing plants can result in a 20% increase in your capacity to remember things, which is quite stunning. Whether it’s feeding, trimming, watering, or simply enjoying your plants, this can exercise the brain, improve memory, and release important endorphins, making your memory loss a lot less severe.
You can heal from various ailments if you regularly grow and maintain plants.
When hospital patients and people recovering at home have plants nearby in their surroundings, studies have shown that their recuperation time is a lot shorter. Not only did they get well quicker – regardless of what their original health concern was – they felt better sooner and went back to their regular routine a lot faster when living plants were around them, even if they didn’t take care of those plants. They also had fewer side effects, because plants are Mother Nature’s way to connect with living things, allowing for a mutually beneficial relationship, and this goes for both physical and psychological ailments.
Plants make for great foods and medicines.
In addition to growing plants – many of which have excellent medicinal benefits – growing fresh herbs is highly beneficial for many reasons. Best of all, growing herbs and medicinal flowers doesn’t take up much room, so even if you live in a small apartment or condo, you can still grow these things and be successful. Herbs such as dill, chives, parsley, and basil are delicious when cut fresh from your herb garden and placed in dishes you are cooking.
Much like plants, growing flowers and herbs allows you to get some exercise, sunshine, time working with the soil, and most of all, the sense of satisfaction you can only get when you’re growing things with your own two hands. Flowers and herbs have both nutritional and psychological advantages, and the sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll be able to enjoy the many benefits growing these things offers.
Growing plants offers many advantages in the business world, too.
Just like your home, living plants are highly beneficial to you and your co-workers as well. Studies have proven that the simple act of having living plants in the workplace can increase worker productivity, even if the workers don’t know that the plants are there. When there are living plants in the workplace – and the more, the merrier – students have identified benefits such as fewer days off of work, better productivity, and an overall better sense of happiness and contentment.
This includes all types of plants, such as trees, flowers, plants of all sizes, and anything else that is a living element. So, if you want your employees to do more work for you, fill their offices and hallways with living plants!
Plants can give you a better sense of purpose.
Everyone wants to feel important and needed, and what better way to do that than to be in charge of something that is living and breathing and which needs your help to survive? Simply watering plants will give you a sense of purpose, and if you are elderly, retired, or frequently ill, you can regain your sense of purpose and necessity by choosing to have a few plants in your home, whether it is regular plants, flowers, trees, or even herbs. Growing and caring for plants increases memory and concentration, helps you feel like you are needed and belong somewhere, and can even help with depression and sadness, and let’s face it, all of this is extremely valuable.
Growing plants can give you better mental health.
A sense of sadness and anxiety can result when you feel you have no purpose in life, which is why growing plants can result in less depression and anxiety, fewer sullen moods, and a more positive outlook on life. Without knowing you have something to look forward to, you are more likely to feel sad and depressed, especially if this is something you experience on a daily basis. Having plants to take care of, especially if you have a lot of them that count on your for survival, decreases the incidents of sadness because it increases your sense of purpose, and it’s hard to deny that this is something everyone needs.
Plants can greatly decrease your stress level.
Probably more than anything else, it is incredibly relaxing to take care of plants, which can lower both your level of stress and your blood pressure. Taking care of plants is not difficult, but it is very fulfilling, and you are likely going to smile the entire time you’re taking care of your plants. Having something to do is always better than sitting around doing nothing, which can actually be a lot more stressful in the long run.
Let’s face it, everyone has a certain amount of stress, but you can eliminate much of that stress simply by taking good care of your plants. This, in turn, gives you many more chances to be happy with your life, allowing you to have a great sense of well-being and contentment regardless of what happens to you in the future.
