Houstonia purpurea: Distribution
Eastern U.S.
Plant Profile: Houstonia purpurea
Taxonomy: Houstonia purpureaNames
Large Houstonia, Venus' Pride, Woodland Bluets
Phonetic Spelling:hoos-TOH-nee-uh pur-PUR-ee-ah
Genus:Houstonia
Species:purpurea
Family:Rubiaceae
The Large Houstonia features wide clusters of three or more flowers atop branching, hairy stems. Each bloom consists of four petals that range in color from lavender-blue to nearly white, merging into a deep tubular shape. Typically, the central flower is the first to bloom. This species thrives in well-drained slopes or damp woodland areas.
Houstonia purpurea Feature Summary
Houstonia purpurea Image Gallery
Tags
#vigorous
#full sun tolerant
#perennial
#slopes
#summer flowers
#native garden
#spring interest
#wildflower garden
#partial shade tolerant
Similar Plants
Houstonia purpurea Feature Summary
Attributes
Eastern U.S.
Perennial
Leaves
Leaves are three-veined, sessile, on branching, hairy stems.
Green
Simple
Opposite
Ovate
Entire
1-3 inches
< 1 inch
Whole Plant Traits
Wildflower
Multi-stemmed
Erect
Clumping
Medium
Low
Fine
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Good Drainage
12 inches-3 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
Flowers
Pink
Purple/Lavender
White
Blue
Panicle
Spring
Summer
4-5 petals/rays
Tubular
Star
< 1 inch
Stem
Landscape
Pollinator Garden
Native Garden
Mass Planting
Small groups
Woodland
Slope/Bank
Butterflies
Bees
Houstonia purpurea Image Gallery
Houstonia purpurea Attributes
Houstonia purpurea: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Houstonia purpurea Leaves
Houstonia purpurea: Leaf Description
Leaves are three-veined, sessile, on branching, hairy stems.
Houstonia purpurea: Leaf Color
Green
Houstonia purpurea: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Houstonia purpurea: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Houstonia purpurea: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Houstonia purpurea: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Houstonia purpurea: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Houstonia purpurea: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Houstonia purpurea: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Houstonia purpurea Whole Plant Traits
Houstonia purpurea: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Houstonia purpurea: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Houstonia purpurea: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Houstonia purpurea: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Houstonia purpurea: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Houstonia purpurea Cultural Conditions
Houstonia purpurea: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Houstonia purpurea: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Houstonia purpurea: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Houstonia purpurea: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Houstonia purpurea: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Houstonia purpurea Flowers
Houstonia purpurea: Flower Color
Blue
Pink
Purple/Lavender
White
Houstonia purpurea: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Houstonia purpurea: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Houstonia purpurea: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Houstonia purpurea: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Houstonia purpurea: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Houstonia purpurea Stem
Houstonia purpurea: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Houstonia purpurea Landscape
Houstonia purpurea: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Houstonia purpurea: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Houstonia purpurea: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Houstonia purpurea: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
