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Rubiaceae
Quaker Ladies
Houstonia caerulea
Innocence and contentment.
- Family
- Rubiaceae
- Genus
- Houstonia
- Native to
- Eastern North America
- Bloom season
- Spring, Summer
- Type
- perennial
- Height
- 3-6 in
- Sunlight
- partial shade to full sun
- Soil
- moist, acidic, well-drained
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- 3-8
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- The name 'Quaker Ladies' refers to the dainty, modest flowers resembling the simple bonnets worn by Quaker women.
- Also called bluets, these tiny flowers carpet moist meadows and lawns in spring, creating a sea of pale blue.
- Each flower has a bright yellow center eye, creating a charming contrast with the pale blue or white petals.
- The genus was named after Dr. William Houston, an 18th-century Scottish botanist who collected plants in Central America.
- Quaker ladies exhibit heterostyly, producing two flower forms with differently positioned stamens to promote cross-pollination.
Color meanings
0
innocence
1
contentment
2
simplicity