They’re the kind of flower that people admire, but very few know their name. I’ve known those who mistake the double-petalled varieties for roses and even peonies.
Below is an overview of the Lisianthus: -
What is the Latin name?
Eustoma
What is it commonly known as?
Lisianthus
How do you pronounce it?
lizzie-ANN-thus
What does it look like?
Delicate trumpets of white, purple, pink, cream, lilac or bi-coloured flowers in single and double-petalled varieties. An example of bi-colouring is white petals with a purple rim.
When can you buy them?
Available all year round
Where can you buy them from?
Florists, supermarkets and garden centres. Make sure when you buy them that at least one flower is open on each stem.
How do you look after them?
Cut the stems on a slant with scissors and place them in a clean vase with fresh water. Do keep them away from bright sunlight as they don’t like humidity.
Did you know?
They’re also known as prairie gentians or Texas bluebells. And I’ve heard and seen them called Lizzy at flower markets.
Lisianthus means ‘bitter flower’. This refers to the taste of the flowers which were traditionally used in herbal medicine…not of course, something I’d recommend nowadays!
