How To Grow Lisianthus Flowers From Seed

Lisianthus Eustoma grandiflorum is a much loved and often requested flower. Those beautiful rosettes remind us of a delicate rose. So many gorgeous tones they bloom in, from soft cherry sorbet and champagne to rich browns and black pearls.

Lisianthus is a tender perennial but mostly grown as an annual. Lisianthus do not like frosts.

Group 1: Winter flowering, flowers under short days.

Group 2: Spring/ Summer flowering, flowers when the days begin to lengthen. 

Group 3: Flowers late Summer into Autumn.

Group 4: Flowers late Summer into Autumn.

• Lisianthus seeds need light for germination. Cover seeds with a thin layer of vermiculite to prevent algae growth and seeds dislodging. Sow one seed per pot. 
• When choosing a pot to sow the lisianthus seeds use a deep seedling pot, this will enable better transplanting and prevent seedlings becoming root bound. 
• When watering the seeds, bottom watering or mist watering recommended to avoid dislodging the tiny seeds too far down in the soil or washing them away. Keep the soil moist during the germination period (the first 10-15 days, temp should be 20-22 degrees, a heat mat maybe useful for temperature control). Keeping the soil moist will enable the pelleted seed coating to dissolve. 
• Once the seeds have germinated they should then be grown at 15-20 degrees. Make sure your greenhouse is well ventilated, opening the door or window to prevent algal growth.
• Keeping the temperature around 15-20 degrees is essential for growth, any spikes in heat (over 29 degrees) will cause 'rosetting', this is when the plant will only produce basal leaves and fail to lengthen. 
• Do not over or under water the seedling as this will cause the plant to become stressed. 
• Transplant at around the 60-75 day mark, when there are 4 sets of true leaves.

Note: Please note some lisianthus can be very slow growing! Please be patient, it will all be worth it!

All our lisianthus seeds are pelleted as they are extremely tiny! Pelleting seeds shortens the shelf life of the seeds, we recommend using the seed within a year.

Planting Tips

• Before planting out the seedlings they should be hardened off, do this slowly by letting them spend 1 hour a day outside the greenhouse environment, working up to 5 hours over a week. This is will prevent any transplant shock.
• Take care when planting out the seedlings not to disturb roots. Plant the roots the same depth as the seedling pot. 
• Lisianthus like fertile, well draining soil with pH of around 6.5.
• Lisianthus like a full sun position, can tolerate some shade.
• Space the seedlings 10-20cm apart, planting too close together may cause disease. 
• Flower netting may needed as support. 
• Watering: do not over water, water deeply the base of the plant. 

Harvesting Tips

Lisianthus take around 140-150 days from seed to bloom, although this timeframe is variable. 

Harvest when one or more flowers are opened on one stem. The blooms will keep 10-15 days in a vase. 

Tip

For succession harvests, plant all groups (1,2,3+4) at once. They will then all flowers at different stages.