| Life form | Grassy, half-shrub |
| Family | Gentianaceae |
| Origin | Central America: Mesika, south of the USA |
| Ease of cultivation | Quite complex |
| The size | 30-60 cm in height |
| Growth rate | Low |
| Lifespan | Usually grow 1 or 2 years, after which the plant is replaced. |
| Temperature | In summer it is desirable to maintain a not too hot temperature and to air the plant, preferably a temperature of 50-59 ° F. |
| Humidity | The eustoma adapts in low humidity, no spraying is required. |
| Lighting | Bright diffused light. It takes several hours of direct sun, but should be shaded from too bright rays at noon. |
| The soil | The soil must be breathable, sand or perlite with peat should be added if it is too dense. For a mixture of own preparation, take: 1 part of the garden land, 1 part coarse-grained sand or perlite, peat, leaf land. Acidity is neutral or slightly alkaline (pH 6.5-7). Always use a pot with an opening and drainage. |
| Watering | Water once a week, the soil between waterings should dry to a depth of 2 cm, when watering, drain the water from the pan. The plant is equally sensitive to both inadequate and excessive watering. |
| Fertilizer | During the flowering period from the appearance of buds every 15 days with liquid fertilizer in half the concentration with an increased content of potassium. |
| Reproduction | Probably multiplication by seeds, which should be sown in early spring. Seeds should be planted in a moist mixture of moss and peat, sprinkling them on the surface and lightly pressing (do not cover the ground). They are too small, so they can easily fly apart, you should be careful. (Sometimes sold granulated seeds, enclosed in a special substrate, with such seeds it is easier to work). Pots with seeds should be poured from below, placing in a vessel with water. Next, put the pots in a warm place and cover with glass (the seeds do not germinate in the dark). Transplant should be when the seedlings reach a height of 5 cm. It is required to maintain the temperature 62,6 ° F. Seedling grows very slowly, 4 leaves will develop in about 2 months. In the future, eustome seedlings are best planted 3 in a pot. Lysianthus blooms about 5 months after sowing.Also propagate by cuttings about 2 cm long, which take root at a temperature of 68 ° F. |
| Bloom | Blooms in the summer with large bell-shaped flowers (5 cm) of white, pink, purple or blue. |
| Transfer | Eustoma is grown as an annual or biennial, so transplantation is not needed. |
| Features of care | Eustoma blooms better with cool content. If a plant is bought in a store, it was usually processed by retardants. In the future it gradually regains its growth and stretches. To prolong flowering, it is timely to cut off the faded flowers, which continue to absorb nutrients. It stimulates the formation of new flowers. In summer it is good to take outside. If the plant begins to fade after flowering, it must be discarded, unfortunately, in the conditions of the apartment, the eustoma does not grow long. In a warm climate, lisianthus is grown on flowerbeds. |
| Difficulties | Often suffering from fungal diseases, the stem becomes softer, the plant withers. Gray spots on the leaves are botrytis. If lighting is not enough, the buds may not open.Withering of the plant can be caused by a draft. Flowers can fade and quickly fall off when the earth’s coma dries out. It can be affected by mealybugs, aphids, whiteflies and thrips and fungal mosquitoes. |
| Air cleaning | – |
| Toxicity | – |
