Prairie Bluebell – Gentian Family (Gentianaceae)
Eustoma grandiflorum, (Raf.) Shinners
Region: 1 through 10 (Ellis Co is Region 4)
Size: 1 – 2 feet
Blooms: June – September, Annual/Biennial
Texas has two species of Eustoma. Both have paired, smooth, bluish green leaves that clasp the stem. Bluebells (E. exaltatum) are difficult to distinguish. Flowers are cup-shaped, with five to seven blue to deep blue-violet petals, although the color can vary from pinkish to light blue or white. A dark, purple blotch surrounded by a light halo is centered in the cup, as is a prominent two-lobed yellow stigma. Flowers are two to four inches across. These handsome plants are available in nurseries. They were first cultivated by the Japanese, who recognized their horticultural merit more than thirty years ago. Bluebells prefer seasonally stands, such as roadside ditches, meadows or prairie swales. Sometimes a single plant or only a few are seen at one location; in other places, bluebells may blanket many acres.
Article by: Melinda Kocian
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