Eustoma or Lisianthus is a herbaceous annual or perennial plant. Eustoma belongs to the prominent representatives of the gentian family. Initially, its habitat was considered to be the territory located in the south of North America, Mexico, the north of South America, and the plant was also found on the islands of the Caribbean.
The translation of the name of the flower Eustoma from the Latin language means "beautiful mouth" or "beautifully speaking". Native Indians invented a legend that tells of his appearance. Once, after the death of a girl, an unknown flower bloomed at the site of her grave. The ancient story says that the girl fell victim to the spirit of war. He severely punished her for disobeying and refusing to offer marriage. In Europe, the plant became known thanks to the doctor and scientist Patrick Brown, who was born in Ireland.
The environment of experienced flower growers eustoma is especially popular both for growing in the garden and in at home... Cut flowers can be stored like this for about three weeks, while retaining their attractiveness and freshness. In artificial conditions, the plant began to grow in the last century.
Description of eustoma flower
Strong and graceful stems of eustoma resemble carnation stems in their structure and can reach a height of about a meter. The branch looks like a real bouquet due to the excessive branching of the stems. The number of buds on one branch fluctuates about 35 pieces, which bloom, replacing each other. The leaves, gray or bluish with a matte finish, have an elongated oval appearance.
Large flowers are funnel-shaped, cups are 5-8 cm in diameter. There are pink, lilac, white and purple buds. They can be the same color or have contrasting edging around the edges of the calyx. The half-open flower slightly resembles a rosebud, and the fully open one resembles a poppy.
Eustoma growing in its natural habitat is considered a biennial plant. The horticultural period only takes one season. In a flowerpot, she can live for about 4-5 years, and for open ground, her life span is reduced to several years.
Types and varieties of eustoma
Today, about 60 varieties of eustoma are bred. The indoor variety is called Russell's eustoma, and a large-flowered crop is used for garden cultivation. Some of the florists do not even distinguish between these types. To date, there are still disputes between them on this issue. However, for convenience, we will nevertheless highlight the main varieties of eustoma, depending on the purpose. For example, in order to cut a flower and further use it in bouquets, tall crops are bred. The stems of indoor plants reach a height of no more than 45 cm.
Varieties of tall eustoma
- Aurora - has blue, white, blue or pink buds and early flowering.
- Echo - reaches a height of 70 cm, has spreading stems and large buds.11 color varieties of this variety are grown.
- Heidi - reaches a height of 90 cm, is characterized by frequent flowering. The variety has 15 color varieties.
- Flamenco - the tallest and most picky variety, which can reach 90-120 cm. Large flowers have many shades.
Indoor varieties of eustoma
- Mermaid - a low, branched plant, stems 12-15 cm long, small flowers can be white, blue, pink or purple in color.
- Littlebell - reaches a height of 15 cm and does not need a clothespin, has simple funnel-shaped cups in various shades.
- Eustoma Loyalty - a white flower up to 20 cm high, on which numerous simple buds are spirally located.
- FloridaPink - a variety that has pink flowers that form a bouquet of the correct shape.
Features of growing eustoma
- Eustoma should be planted in sunny and open areas of the garden.
- The soil for planting is a prepared mixture of peat and humus.
- The plant is grown using seeds. Cuttings are unable to reproduce because the root system is very fragile and does not divide.
- The plant can only be watered if the surface of the substrate dries out, since it does not tolerate excessive moisture.
- After the plant gets stronger and begins to bloom, do not transplant it elsewhere. The roots will not be able to take root in foreign soil and will simply die.
- At home, flowerpots should be stored in a cool and well-ventilated room.
Growing eustoma from seeds
Growing a full-fledged strong plant at home is a rather difficult task even for experienced flower growers. Such a laborious and long-term process will surely bear good results. Today, among many garden and indoor crops, eustoma is gaining more and more popularity. For starters, it is worth noting the fact that small seeds are the main reason for the difficult cultivation of eustoma. Before planting begins, they are subjected to a special treatment that allows them to achieve high yields. The seeds have a low germination rate. Only 60 of 100 seeds can take root, and the rest will die.
Horticultural crops begin to be cultivated in February or March. Planting this early will allow the eustoma to bloom in July or August. A prepared sterilized substrate is used as a soil, which is distinguished by a low amount of nitrogen in its composition. The scattered seeds should be lightly pressed against the soil and covered with plastic wrap or glass to keep the soil surface from drying out.
To ensure easy ventilation of the air, it is required to provide small holes. Planted plants need additional lighting, so electric lamps are installed above them. The ideal daytime air temperature for seed development is considered to be at least 20 degrees, at night it should not drop below +14 ºC. To maintain constant soil moisture, regular spraying is necessary.
If all the conditions for the correct cultivation of eustoma are met, the first green shoots should appear in two weeks. Young shoots must be constantly sprayed with Fitosporin solution. After a month and a half, several pairs of leaves are already formed. The next stage of growing eustoma will be transplanting into pots, and after 3 months the grown seedlings are transferred to open ground.
Eustoma at home
To decorate an apartment in winter with bright and interesting eustoma flowers, it is necessary to sow seeds from July to September. To do this, you need to fill the planting container with a wet substrate, which includes an equal amount of sand and peat, and scatter seeds over it. The prepared containers are placed in a warm and bright place, remembering to regularly spray the soil.
When the first green leaves appear, watering is halved so that the soil surface can dry out slightly between them. Then watering is carried out exclusively in the morning. As soon as two pairs of leaves appear on the shoots, the plant is planted in pots.
Indoor eustoma varieties are quite capricious flowers that require constant lighting and oxygen access. In the room, it is necessary to maintain an air temperature of 19-22 degrees, and also do not forget to ventilate it regularly. Watering is not done too often. The water must be settled. The leaves do not need to be sprayed so as not to provoke any diseases.
Plant feeding begins with the formation of buds and the rapid growth of stems. Liquid compound fertilizers can be used. Compliance with all conditions will ensure healthy development of the eustoma and re-flowering in a few months.
Details about growing eustoma at home
How to grow eustoma in the garden
Garden eustoma is grown from seeds. Sowing is done in December-January, in this case the first flowers will appear in June-July. As a container for sowing, an excellent option will be low plastic cups, which are filled with the prepared substrate. Seeds are placed in them and covered with foil on top, creating artificial greenhouse conditions. It must be raised periodically so that the seedlings can breathe. Additional lighting is required for several months after planting. However, during this time the plants will still grow slowly. At the end of February, cups with young shoots are placed on the windowsill, which, if possible, is located on the sunny side.
Preventive measures to prevent the development of various plant diseases is considered to be spraying the leaves with a Fundazole solution. When a couple of leaves appear on young shoots, they are planted in pots.
You should also remember to water each container and cover it with plastic wrap. After a week, the shoots are doubled. Already at the beginning of March, they can be transplanted into large pots, while you cannot get rid of the earthen coma. This transplant is considered final before the eustoma plants grow outdoors.
Mid-May is the most favorable time for this process, since the risk of frost is minimal. The most suitable place for planting is the protected and unshaded area of the garden. Plants are planted in the evening or when it is cloudy outside.
The prepared hole is watered with water, the seedlings are placed in it together with an earthen lump, the seedlings are covered with a glass jar or a cut plastic bottle on top, which are not removed for 2-3 weeks. The distance between eustoma seedlings should be 10-15 cm. Water them sparingly. Avoid both excess and lack of moisture in the soil.
After 6-8 leaves appear on the stem, the top must be pinched, so the eustoma will branch well. Young seedlings will already get stronger in a month, then they can be fed with a solution of mineral fertilizers, for example, Plantafol, which is used in June to accelerate growth and bud formation. For watering the roots, you can use the drug Kemira. However, these additives must be dissolved in slightly smaller proportions than those stated in the instructions.
The eustoma begins to bloom in accordance with the time of planting the seeds. The first flowers can be seen in mid-summer if the seeds are sown in late fall or early winter. Also, the timing of flowering is interconnected with climatic weather conditions. When planting seeds at the beginning of the year, it can only be expected in August, and it lasts until the end of October. Old buds gradually wither, and new buds grow to replace them. While in the flowering stage, eustoma is resistant to frost and low temperatures.Only snowfall and severe frost can interfere with this process. Withered flowers are carefully trimmed, giving the opportunity to give birth to young buds.
Diseases and pests
Plant pests include slugs, aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites. Means that protect against insects are the following drugs: Aktaru, Fitoverm, Aktellik, Confidor. To prevent the occurrence of powdery mildew and gray rot, drugs such as Fundazol and Ridomir gold are used as a spray solution. These measures are a kind of prevention that must be carried out regularly in order to maintain a healthy appearance of the plant throughout its life.
Eustoma care after flowering
In a homemade variety of eustoma, after the end of the flowering period, it is necessary to cut off the stems, while leaving 2-3 internodes. The flower pot is stored in a cool room, the temperature in which does not exceed 10-15 degrees, watering is reduced and top dressing is excluded. In early spring, when the first green shoots appear, the plant is transplanted into new soil and the frequency of watering is increased.
To increase the duration of flowering of a garden eustoma, an adult plant is transplanted into a flowerpot and transferred to a balcony for storage or placed on a windowsill. This makes it possible to enjoy the beauty of fresh buds for some time. However, each plant needs rest in order to gain strength for a new cycle of life. After the flowers wither, the leaves turn yellow, the stems are cut at a height of 2-3 internodes so that the plant does not deplete and does not die, and it is transferred to a cool place, where it will be stored until the beginning of spring. Watering in the cold season is stopped.
