Appearance

Appearance

Smooth, blue-green leaves grow in opposite pairs on upright stems.

Flowers

Wild flowers are usually violet and cup-shaped. Garden varieties also come in white or pink, with single or double blooms.

Flowering time

In North Carolina gardens, it flowers from summer until the first frost.

Fruit

The seed capsule holds many tiny seeds.

Look-alikes

Balloon flowerPlatycodon grandiflorus

Balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) has a rounded, inflated bud before it opens. Check the buds if both plants are in bloom.

Why they get mixed up · Both can have large blue or violet flowers.

Where it lives

Typical habitats

• Prairies
• Open, sunny ground
• Gardens

Range

Native from the central Great Plains south to Texas; cultivated varieties are grown as garden and cut flowers across the United States.

Preferred conditions

In gardens, it does best in well-drained soil with plenty of light.

Growing it

Care

It is usually grown as an annual, although it can survive winter in USDA zones 8–10.

Name and classification

About the name

Eustoma grandiflorum is another name used for this species. In Texas, it is often called Texas bluebell.

Varieties and forms

Cultivated plants include compact potted varieties and double-flowered cut-flower varieties.

Conservation

IUCN Red List

NENot Evaluated·Not yet assessed