lisianthus

noun

lis·​i·​an·​thus ˌli-zē-ˈan(t)-thəs How to pronounce lisianthus (audio)
variants or Lisianthus
plural lisianthuses or Lisianthuses
: a tall, annual or biennial plant (Eustoma exaltatum russellianum synonym E. grandiflorum synonym E. russellianum) of the central and southern U.S. and Mexico that is related to the gentians, has usually pastel-colored, showy, roselike single or double flowers, and includes various cultivars grown in gardens and greenhouses for cut flowers
A rose by any other name would be called lisianthus. The pretty, delicate annual, with a ruffled bloom often likened to the rose, is emerging as the trendy gardener's must-have flower.Shawn Sell, USA Today, 27 June 2003

called also prairie gentian, Texas bluebell

Word History

First Known Use

1756, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lisianthus was in 1756

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Cite this Entry

“Lisianthus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lisianthus. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

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