The lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) I found by happenstance in my local garden center a couple of months ago are blooming with some vigor now and I couldn't ignore them when it came time to put together a floral arrangement for "In a Vase on Monday" yesterday. In fact, I cut several stems for two different vases.
The first features a green-flowered lisianthus. I hadn't seen this variety in years, despite looking for it in both garden centers and online. I bought the only two plants the garden center had when I stopped by - if there'd been a dozen of them, I probably would have bought them all.
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| I selected Leucadendron 'Jester' to complement the pale green flowers of the green Eustoma. As that plant has pink tinges, that led me to add a few other pink elements to fill out the vase. |
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| Back view |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Antirrhinum majus, Cuphea 'Honeybells', Eustoma grandiflorum, Leucadendron salignum 'Blush', L. 'Jester', and Prostanthera ovatifolia 'Variegata' |
My second vase features the blue lisianthus, which really does look as close as any of us will ever get to a blue rose.
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| I was surprised to find a few stems of Hebe 'Grace Kelly' with purple blooms to add to the mix. This Hebe is known for its variegated foliage but half my plant has reverted to green. |
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| I included a couple of stems of another Hebe, 'Purple Shamrock', to dress up the back view |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Billardiera heterophyllum (syn. Sollya heterophyllum) with its purplish fruit, blue and white Eustoma grandiflorum varieties, Hebe 'Grace Kelly', H. 'Purple Shamrock', and Osteospermum 'Violet Ice' |
It's still very dry here. Mother Nature spit at us a bit on Thursday afternoon. It was enough to deliver a gallon of water to one of my empty rain barrels, even though our roof-top weather station didn't register it. I suspect the gauge is clogged but, at most, it wasn't more than one or two hundredths of an inch. The fire that broke out in Malibu last week in response to high winds was forty-two percent contained as of yesterday after burning over 4000 acres. All evacuation orders have been reduced to warnings. Only nineteen structures, including eight homes, were destroyed, but that's still hard on the affected residents, especially with the holidays just around the corner. Wind warnings were back in place yesterday.
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All material © 2012-2024 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Good to see that the lisianthus are starting to pay good dividends. That was a lucky find, even if you only got two. I wonder if they would set seed? I really like the little cuphea pinking about at the periphery of the first arrangement.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is that the lisianthus have never self-seeded here. Their seeds are also notoriously difficult to get to germinate. Pelleted seeds are supposed to be nominally easier to work with but even then they're best grown in greenhouse conditions. I bought some pelleted seed last year but, lacking proper greenhouse conditions, I resorted once again to buying the plants whenever I find them.
DeleteBeautiful! Have you tried lisianthus from seed? I did (2021?) but had a low germination rate. I should try again.
ReplyDeleteI've been told that lisianthus can be very difficult to grow from seed. Pelleted seeds supposedly do better but they still need greenhouse conditions. I bought pelleted seed online last year but, lacking a greenhouse, I never sowed them. Burpee sells the plants as plugs - I just checked the site and found that they're offering a variety of colors (including green) for shipment in late April. They're not exactly cheap, especially with the addition of shipping charges, but I may order some of those again.
DeleteThose Lisanthus are so glamorous and eye-seducing they don't seem to need anything else--just some foliage.
ReplyDeleteWe got a little rain here a few days ago--too full of summer's dust to collect. At least the solar panels are a little cleaner...how's the kitten? Settling in and being happy/calm, I hope!
I took advantage of the light drizzle and wiped my car down when I got home, HB! It doesn't qualify as a good wash but at least I feel a little better about the car's appearance - it's been too cold for me to jump in on giving it a proper cleaning.
DeleteMeeko is now 10 months old and she's settled down a little (although my husband would scoff at that comment). We at least have a something of a routine now, which generally includes a midday nap (hers, not mine). I'm skipping the Christmas tree this year, though, as I'm sure it would be a classic "catastrophe."
I was going to say the first arrangement is one of the prettiest I've seen on your blog (and every arrangement you share is amazing!). And then I saw the second arrangement, and ... wow! The blue of Lisianthus is stunning, indeed. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteLisianthus - at least the multi-petaled varieties - make fabulous cut flowers, Beth. I think the blue variety is even more stunning viewed in person than it is in photos.
DeleteBeautiful vases Kris. My favourite flowers are the lisianthus especially the blue ones - as you suggest perhaps the nearest thing to blue roses. Sorry to hear that your recent rainfall was so meagre.
ReplyDeleteThe rain situation is almost as bad as the political situation here right now, Anna :(
DeleteHi Kris, you are making me want to find some Osteospermum and Lisianthus. I am not sure they grow on this coast?! Very pretty for both. Amelia
ReplyDeleteBoth Osteospermum and Lisianthus would be worth trying in your climate if you can find the plants, Amelia. Both like the cooler spring and late fall-winter temperatures here. The multi-petaled hybrids of both are the most enticing.
DeleteI love both of your lisianthus arrrangements, Kris. If I could find lisianthus at a garden center I would be so excited. I'm so sorry about the fires. Hope you get more rain.
ReplyDeleteWell, at least Northern California is getting some rain. It doesn't look likely that Santa's going to bring any rain to SoCal.
DeletePretty finds, Kris. The first has a nice Christmasy feel. Love the rich purple Eustoma, too. I surely hope Santa brings you some decent rainfall! Eliza
ReplyDeleteIt's not looking as though Santa's going to deliver rain to SoCal but, according to an expert commenting in an article in today's LA Times, the great divide between conditions in NorCal and SoCal may break in January or February.
DeleteOh that green-flowered lisianthus is just gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteA photo of an earlier "crop" of green Lisianthus has been my cell phone's screensaver for years :)
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