Known as Stock flower or Lisanthus, Eustoma is a common flower in the US. They grow in the empty fields and grounds and they bloom beautifully. The name was taken from the ancient Greek words, eu and stoma. “Eu” is a prefix word which means goodness while “stoma” means mouth. Based on its name, the flower means a good mouth. The flower is also known at its common names such as Lisanthus, Prairie Gentian, Stock, Gillyflower, and Virginia Gilly flower.
Eustomas are herbaceous annual flowers that can grow up to 15-60 centimeters high with succulent leaves in bluish-green color. Its bloom comes in funnel shape in long and straightly erecting stem. There are varieties that have branches that can grow up to 18 feet high. The flowers come in all shades of white, pink, blue, purple, and yellow. Other flowers from the genus Eustoma come in bicolors, too.
Eustoma flowers are in two types: single-flowered and double-flowered. There are also dwarf varieties that grow only up to 8 inches in height. As a flower that belongs to the Gentianaceae family, it is actually a genus with only three species. They can be annual and perennial flowers, however, the variety varies depending on the ground and location where the plant is planted and grown.
History of Eustomas
The flowers of Eustoma are native to Southern regions of the United States, northern regions of South America, Mexico, and Caribbean. Most of the flowering plants that belong in the genus eustoma are found in the grassland areas.
Symbolism and Meaning of Eustoma
Known to be sociable, Eustoma flowers are the right choice of flower if you want to give something to express love, contentment, and peace. It can be a romantic flower on Valentine’s Day and anniversary celebration because it is associated with love and emotions.
Eustoma is also a flower with several meanings. It is a flower that conveys appreciation and admiration, as well as friendliness, sweetness, and respect. The flowers can also speak of peace and happiness for a lifetime.
On the other hand, Eustoma, being available in different colors also differ in meaning. Purple Eustomas are symbolic of royalty and beauty while the yellow ones are for happiness and joy. White Eustomas are associated to spirituality and to unity, purity, and innocence. Pink Eustomas mean charm and romance while the orange ones are meant for positive energy, friendship, joy, and happiness. Green Eustomas are meant to show wealth and money or wishes for prosperity and riches.
Facts about Eustoma
Eustoma flowers are known as Lisanthus but with the meaning behind its name, Eustoma, which is good mouth, it is much better called at its name than Lisanthus. The beauty of this flower makes people open their mouth in awe and have a good word about the flower.
The large blooms of Eustoma resemble Peonies and Roses while the single-flowered types look like Tulips. Because of this form and structure of this flower, it is often mistaken as one of the common garden Roses and typical perennials. In Australia, people prefer the double-flowered types because of the huge bloom while in America, Asia, and Europe most people prefer the single-flowered type because of unique elegance.
The blooms are soft and durable. They look charming and very feminine. Although they are called Eustoma, most of the marketers, traders, and local florists call the flowers as Lizzie or Lizzy in the market.
Growing and Taking Care of Eustoma
Growing and taking care of Eustoma depend on the location and place. In locations where temperature drops down, the best way for the seeds to grow is to plant them after the frost season. On the other hand, in regions where climate is a bit warmer, it is best to plant the seeds on or before the month of March. It takes right timing in planting the seeds. The soil should not be dry but evenly moist during germination period to ensure that the pellet coating around the seeds will dissolve after a few while. Aside from moist soil, proper circulation will help the seed to grow.
The plant may also take time to grow because they are slow growing type of plant. Even the green-fingered gardeners can tell that this plant needs more than just a month to germinate and have its first shoot of leaves. However, with right temperature, proper lighting conditions, and right amount of water, the plants will grow just in time for the blooming season. In case resetting happens, or the plants do not bloom but instead yield leaves and plenty of more leaves, professional gardeners suggest that lowering down the temperature in the location by adding more water or by placing some shades will help the plant.
In caring for the plants, it will help if you will add plant food, some compost, or fertilizer to the soil. This type of plant prefers well-drained, clay soil with 6.5 to 7.0 pH level. Part of taking care of the plant is watching out for the pests and weeds that may corrupt the leaves and damage the roots. Pests like whiteflies, aphids, and thrips love to feed on this flowering plant.
Indoors and outdoors, the plant of Eustomas or Lisianthus can grow into a beautiful flowering plant. Aside from that, the flowers can also be kept in a flower vase for a long while. The rose-like appearance of Eustomas makes it a very wonderful type of flower in creating the perfect bouquet.
