Lisianthus question

just got my first one! Is it an annual>Can I keep it in the house all winter/ What do I do with it. I never saw it till someone posted one . SO PRETTY> Got is onsale for $1.78!!! has quite a few buds on ittoo!

They are a perennial. They die back and come up bigger and more beautiful each year. I have some of the blue and some of the pink ones. Mine are planted in full sun and that is what they like. They grow pretty wild here in the state of Texas. My neighbors front yard is just full of em and he didn't plant a one.
Check the bottom of that pot they are in. Can almost bet ya that there are roots coming out of the bottom. Either put in larger pot or plant outside in full sun.

roots JUSTstarting. It was sold inside store with the orchids is why I am confised. Also, It had the wrapping paper on it....I am zone 5. wonder if it will make it.

This message was edited Saturday, Jul 20th 6:48 AM

They won't survive the winter in zone 5 - I've tried and they just don't like the cold. They do produce a lot of seed, but it's difficult to start them and they won't seed themselves outside. probably if you let it die back and then dug it up and put it in an unheated but protected building it would winter over. They are worth the effort. I've lost mine and am thinking that if I run across one, I'll start over. They are beautiful.

so/ it would need to be watered then too over the winter since it isn;t getting moisture from the snow. Maybe I'll just keep it in the house.?????

When I lived in the colder climates at one time, what I did to some of my plants that where planted outside is when they died back,I covered them really good with mulch and newspaper and then put a pot or old bucket over the top and that protected them from the cold, and on nice days, I would uncover em and recover in the evenings. Worked pretty good

hummmm interesting

I started seed once in February. The plants were very tiny by May. If I started them again, I would start in November.

it might come back in Texas, but it's listed in pdb as an annual and that's what the tag says when you buy it here.

I clipped off all the spent flowers. Gave in a large pot. fresh new potting soil. and a nice drink of Miracle Grow! Looks like its smiling at me! now. Most importantly. Sun? morning? afternoon?

Mine are right out in full sun,facing the south-southwest so they get all that afternoon Texas hot sun and they are doing great. Just keep them watered being you have them potted; but not too wet.

One year I had mine on the south side in a raised bed - sun all day. The next I had them in the rock bed on the east, 2/3 sun and full shade 1/3. They seemed to do fine either place. I just bought two today. I'm going to try and get some seeds later and might try bringing one into the basement this fall. Mine are pink - gorgeous flowers.

maybe mine is in shock. It doesn't look to good. and it was just in full sun. Best move it . It is like it has the flu or something. Poor thing.

being you just repotted it,put it where it gets the morning sun and afternoon shade till it gets over it's shock. See if that helps. Will probably take a bit for it to come out of it's shock stage.

Lisianthus is one of my favorite flowers (I named my cat for them. So when I saw your post I had to respond.

I have grown them from seed, but they are not typical annuals from seed: after they germinate, they need cool temps for several months (50-55 max). They just hang out at the seedling stage for a long time. Then increase the temp to 65-70 daytime, and they will really start to grow. I start mine in January, and by early May they are ready to be hardened to be set out.

They do not survive much below 25, kind of like geraniums (pelargonums). So our long cold winters are definitely too much for them.

Keeping them deadheaded will make them bloom for 3-4 months. The cut flowers last in a vase for more than a week. So beautiful. So temperamental.

if I didnt; have such a spliitting headache , I would go out and take a photo of it. Its a mess! I will tomorrow. I an so upset. It was only $1.78, But still. I think its 3/4 dead. :(

Mine are in full shade and blooming beautifully. I'm zone 8, though, and the heat is ever present. I hadn't thought it was a perennial, though, so might have some hope of seeing it again next year, which is a pleasant thought. I have two photos in the PDB of a purple one I have. Check it out. http://plantsdatabase.com/go/891/

mine is a mess. Seems like plants from Lowes always croak.

That's strange you say that about Lowe's since many of my plants come from Lowe's and they always thrive. Of course, I try to research the plants to make sure the environment I put them in is suitable. Sometimes it isn't the plant, it's where it's planted. I'm not always successful, but I haven't lost but one or two plants in nearly 2 years. I believe our Lowe's and Home Depot may be above average, though.

Well, we had a frost in teh end of May. they did NOTHING to protect their annuals. Our Lowes is awful. Its my own fault for getting them there . They are known for having bad plants up here. Youare funtunate.
I will be most careful next time. You just think...pretty soon. it will be better. and its not.

Hi, I have been following this discussion with great interest, and just joined! I am in zone 6a (upstate NY) but usually plant according to zone 5 because the weather is so dramatic here (70 degrees one day, 30 the next, back up to 60 the next etc)
I was given several lisanthius plants that did very well this summer. As an experiment I will take as many as I can indoors like I do with geraniums, and put them back out in the spring. I have a mini greenhouse that gets eastern sun--the geraniums love this, and I also use it for seed starting. Could I use this for the lisianthus?
Thanks!!

will be interested to hear . Mine only lived a very short time after purchasing it. It was a cheapie. I thought I could save it. I think these plants are just so pretty. I hope to find a healthy one for next season. Best of luck.

Hi Treehugger. I know you will enjoy being here. I also am a tree hugger (literally: a couple of mine were great for climbing and I still pat them from time to time ;)

It sure sounds a worthy experiment to over-winter the lisianthus. Let us know how they turn out. I didn't get any this year, so I can't experiment myself, but now I wish I had! Or, on second thought, with our severe drought, I don't think they would have survived beyond a few days.

We have grown them from seed as well. I agree - start them early and pray for a long hot summer here in zone 7/8. We did overwinter ours in an unheated greenhouse with just a slight bit of water for one year but forgot to water them the next winter and they dried up. I will definitely be growing them again. I prefer the doubles and they keep for a couple of weeks as cut flowers. I don't like the short bushy ones they sell in floral shops.
Mary P in Beautiful British Columbia