Purple Bluets Houstonia purpurea
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Hedyotis purpurea
- Phonetic Spelling
- hoos-TOH-nee-uh pur-PUR-ee-ah
- Description
-
The Large Houstonia has broad terminal clusters of three or more blooms on branching, hairy stems. The flowers have four lavender-blue to almost white petals that fuse into a deep tube. Usually the central flower opens first. In its natural habitat, it can be found in many locations, such as on well-drained slopes, along streams and lakes, hardwood floodplains, moist woods, rocky upland forests, rocky bluffs, pastures, and limestone glades.
It can be grown as a ground cover that can be mowed. To allow it to self seed, avoid mowing until it has set its seed.
Although this is a short-lived plant, its self seeding properties allow the plant to appear year after year.
It is sometimes confused with Houstonia longifolia, the difference being that the leaves along the stem are wider and rounded at the base and have sepals that are longer when in bloom.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Snails and slugs are common insects of this plant.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Houstonia purpurea var. montana
Very rare, endangered.
- Houstonia purpurea var. montana
- Houstonia purpurea var. montana
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Houstonia purpurea var. montana
Very rare, endangered.
- Houstonia purpurea var. montana
- Houstonia purpurea var. montana
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Houstonia
- Species:
- purpurea
- Family:
- Rubiaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Native wildflower makes a great ground cover.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Native to Central and Eastern US
- Distribution:
- Eastern U.S., AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WV
- Wildlife Value:
- Insects attracted by the flowers include long and short tongued bees, flies, butterflies, skippers and beetles.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Defines Paths
- Easy to Grow
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Native Plant
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruits grow as a capsule.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Small 1/4" flowers appear in late spring to early summer and are present for approximately 1 month. The petals are fused into a cup or tube shape.
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-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Lanceolate
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- The 1-2" leaves are three-veined, sessile, and appear on branching, hairy stems. They can be elliptical, lanceolate to ovate. Basal leaves are not present when the plant is in bloom.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Angular
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The stems can be green or purple and 4 angled.
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Patio
- Slope/Bank
- Walkways
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Specialized Bees
- Problems:
- Short-lived
