Texas Bluebells - Seed Packet
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Eustoma exaltatum ssp. russellianum
The Prairie Gentian has blue-green leaves and erect, 1-3 ft. stems covered with a waxy bloom. The flowers are extremely showy and can be blue, purple, pink, white, or yellow. They are bell-shaped and upright, occurring singly at the ends of long stalks from short branches near the top of the plant.
Depending on where it is grown, this species may act like an annual, biennial, or perennial. In most of its native range, it is a perennial. This subspecies (formerly considered the species E. grandiflorum) is one of the most attractive prairie wildflowers. The name Eustoma comes from the Greek words "eu" (meaning "good") and "stoma" (meaning "mouth"), referring to the large opening into the flower's "throat" where the corolla lobes join.
The Japanese have been breeding Texas Bluebells for over 70 years. In Japan, this plant is known as Lisianthus, an older name for the Eustoma genus. They have developed pink, white, and deep purple-blue varieties with single and double-petaled flowers. However, Texas Bluebells are not as common now as they once were due to their beauty. People have picked them from the wild in such numbers that the wild populations have been unable to reseed in their native habitat.
The large flowers have an intense hue and bloom, while many other plants look crispy and brown in the summer. The blue-gray foliage is almost succulent. In larger gardens, Prairie Gentians look great when combined with Indian grass.
Height: .5’-3’
Spread 6”-8”
Bloom: June-September
Light: Full Sun
Water: Medium
Zone: 8, 9, 10
Origin: Central United States
Winter Shipping: We will continue to ship throughout winter. If you prefer, we are happy to hold your order until spring; please include that request in your shipping notes.
When you order plants from our nursery, you can expect them to arrive in the best possible condition. Our team carefully packs each order using sturdy, biodegradable packaging materials.
Your plants' appearance may vary depending on the season and their current growth stage. We may cut back the leafy growth of some plants to prepare them for shipment and transplanting.
5 Gallon and Up: Any plant purchased to ship over 5 Gallons will be shipped bare root. This means we will remove the plant from its original pot, remove the soil surrounding the roots, and wrap the roots with a biodegradable plastic bag. This reduces weight and the likelihood of damage during shipping.
Once your plants arrive, it is essential to plant them as soon as possible. This will help them rebound and thrive. If you cannot plant immediately, water regularly and keep the roots off heat-conducting surfaces.
Newly transplanted plants often require more water until their roots are well established. Plan to water them 1-3 times weekly for the first few months.
