The New Mood of Lisianthus
How dusty tones, ruffled petals, and moody palettes changed everything.
Lisianthus used to be one of those flowers that made my life easier. It’s a lovely focal flower with a long vase life. It resembles a classic tea rose (which I don’t sell), so it can offer a familiar feel for customers looking for something traditional among my local-only selection. It's their latest colors that are complicating things for me. The subtlety is not widely appreciated.
When I first started buying lisianthus 15 years ago, I could count the colors available on one hand: white, pink, and “blue” (which was really more of a purple). There was also a weird white-and-blue picotee version - mostly white with a purple edge. Now, the color options are endless. Growers have leaned into those dusty, antique tones like muddy peaches, champagnes and rose pinks.
My new crush, Lisianthus Chateau "Blue," has a color unlike any flower and it's hard to describe. My first thought was gray. Others have said taupe, beige and apricot. They're understated. I took about 50 pictures trying to capture their true color. Also, can we talk about the ruffles? The bloom consists of soft, frilly, curly petals layered as if piped on by a cake decorator. These flowers are lush and romantic with a vintage vibe. I could eat them up.
In recent years, the most sought-after lisi for designers has been Rosanne Brown. While it’s still going strong, there’s a new favorite emerging - Rosanne 2 Terracotta. Both are perfect for moody weddings and neutral palettes. Rosanne Brown leans a bit plum; Terracotta leans warmer with orangey-brown undertones. These muted colors are having a moment. Mocha Mousse is the Pantone Color of the Year and the ASCFG Woody Cut Flower of the Year is the "creamy-coffee" Rose Koko Loko.
Not everyone is in on the trend. I learned the hard way to reserve Rosanne varieties for my hip flower people. Customers called to complain the flowers looked dead after I added them to my bouquet deliveries. (It’s the same reason I gave up on dogwood.) I didn’t argue and simply refunded. They may appeal to a more refined eye, but you don’t have to be Wednesday Addams to appreciate the look.
Lisianthus can be tricky for farmers, too. Most buy plugs instead of seeds to give themselves a head start. Young lisis like it sunny, don’t mind the heat if they’re well-watered and need netting to stay upright. One grower who struggled to get straight stems started marketing her floppy lisianthus as “windswept.” No, thank you. It takes patience and good timing to keep those stems tall and straight by sliding the netting up as the flowers grow.
Even though I miss out on peak lisi season, all is not lost. Some growers can get a second flush in the fall if they planted early enough. The stems are shorter, but I can work with them.
Hillen Homestead, one of my regular growers, is experimenting with a new method. Maya is planting “Group 4” lisianthus in late May and early June to aim for a first big flush in the fall. Group 4s are bred to handle high heat at transplanting, take their time to bloom and can still produce tall stems later in the season. With sweet lisis, I’ll take what I can get.
Are you growing or designing with lisianthus? Tell me in the comments!