Prairie Gentian; Lira de San Pedro (Eustoma grandiflorum)

   
 

Eustoma grandiflorum, Chihuahuan Desert Gardens, Centennial Museum, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas. Photographs by A.H. Harris.

• Common English Names: Prairie Gentian, Showy Prairie Gentian, Lisianthus, Texas Bluebell
• Common Spanish Names: Lira de San Pedro
• Scientific Name: Eustoma grandiflorum (you-STOH-muh grand-dih-FLOR-um)
• Family: Gentianaceae (Gentian Family)
• Geographic Range: Oklahoma and Texas west to Nebraska and Colorado, south to Mexico.
• Plant Form: Annual to biennial herbaceous herb to 3' H x 12" W.
• Remarks: Flowering from early summer to frost. Flower color varies between plants from blue-purple (most common) to pinkish, white, or yellowish. Widely cultivated with commercial varieties. Full sun to partial shade, moderately high to high water requirements, well drained soil.

  Variously considered as a synonym of E. russellianus or as E. exaltatum ssp. russellianus.

Last Update: 4 Jul 2002