Annuals Dictionary: Eustoma
Gentian family
Gentianiaceae
You-sto’ma. A small genus of North American prairie herbs, the species below cultivated in the garden.
Description
Leaves opposite, ovalish, sometimes stem-clasping. Flowers solitary or in clusters, corolla with 5-6 lobes.
How to Grow
Blooms reliably the first year if seeds are started very early indoors and transplanted outdoors after last frost. Grow in full sun to partial shade. Heat-resistant if planted in moist, well-drained soil. Prefers warm weather.
Eustoma grandiflorum
Prairie Gentian ; Bluebell . 2-3 ft. (60-90 cm) high. Flowers pale purple, with dark purple blotches at the base, usually in a branched panicle, the corolla nearly bell-shaped, flaring, 2 in. (5 cm) long and wide. Nebr. to Colo., south to Tex. and Mexico. Spectacular cut flower. Also called Lisianthus Russellianus . Cultivars have pink, white, or lavender flowers; dwarf varieties available. Biennial grown as a half-hardy annual.