Eustoma grandiflorum Falda™ Light Apricot F1 | Group 2 Lisianthus

Falda™ Light Apricot F1 is a professional Group 2 Lisianthus for cut flower production, distinguished by its elegant single flowers with beautifully fringed petals in a very pale apricot-champagne shade. Unlike the fully double Corelli™ series, Falda™ has single flowers, but each stem produces an abundance of blooms, creating excellent volume and a light, airy appearance in bouquets and floral arrangements.

Falda™ combines sturdy 70–90 cm stems with thick, resilient petals, giving the flowers good durability during harvesting, handling and transportation. Light Apricot is an exceptionally versatile pastel colour, sitting between pale apricot, champagne and soft nude tones.

Plant Information

• Botanical Name: Eustoma grandiflorum
• Series: Falda™ F1
• Variety: Light Apricot F1
• Common Name: Lisianthus
• Flowering Group: Group 2
• Flower Colour: Light Apricot / Salmon Apricot
• Flower Type: Single
• Flower Size: Medium
• Petals: Distinctively fringed, thick and resilient
• Plant Height / Stem Length: Approx. 70–90 cm
• Plant Habit: Upright
• Use: Cut flower
• Seed Form: Pelleted
• Germination: Approx. 20–25 days
• Germination Temperature: 20–22°C
• Light: Required for germination
• Spacing: Approx. 10–15 cm
• Position: Full sun

Single-Flowered Lisianthus

Falda™ is particularly interesting because it offers a very different flower form from traditional double Lisianthus.

The flowers are single rather than double, with beautifully fringed petals that give them an elegant, delicate appearance. Each stem carries numerous flowers and buds, creating excellent volume without the heavy appearance of a fully double variety.

This makes Falda™ especially useful for natural, airy and contemporary floral designs.

Light Apricot – Pale Champagne-Apricot Colour

Falda™ Light Apricot has a particularly delicate colour that can be described as very pale apricot with soft champagne and salmon undertones.

It is a sophisticated neutral pastel that combines beautifully with:

Light Pink • Blush • Cream • White • Champagne • Soft Peach • Pale Lavender • Fresh Green

For very pale pastel arrangements, Falda™ Light Apricot also combines beautifully with Corelli™ Light Pink.

Group 2 Lisianthus

Falda™ Light Apricot belongs to Group 2.

Lisianthus groups indicate relative flowering earliness and are useful when planning successive crops. Group 1 flowers earlier, followed by Group 2, Group 3 and later groups.

Falda™ Light Apricot is described as having a flowering earliness of approximately 2–3, placing it in the intermediate part of the Lisianthus production season.

Growing varieties from several groups makes it possible to stagger flowering and extend the cut-flower harvest period.

How to Sow Lisianthus Seeds

Lisianthus seeds are extremely small and are generally supplied as pelleted seeds, making them much easier to sow individually.

Sow 1 pelleted seed per cell into a fine, moist and well-drained seed-starting substrate.

Place the pellet directly on the surface and do not bury it, as Lisianthus requires light for germination.

Gently press the pellet against the moist substrate to ensure good contact.

After sowing, water carefully so the pellet becomes completely moist and begins to dissolve.

Maintain a germination temperature of approximately 20–22°C.

Falda™ normally requires approximately 20–25 days to germinate.

Do not allow the pellet or the surface of the substrate to dry out during germination.

Growing the Seedlings

Once germination begins, provide the seedlings with plenty of light and good air circulation.

Lisianthus seedlings develop slowly during their first stages. This is normal.

Keep the substrate evenly moist but not waterlogged. Good drainage is particularly important because Lisianthus roots do not perform well in constantly saturated soil.

Avoid excessive temperatures during the young seedling stage, as prolonged heat can negatively affect normal plant development.

Transplanting

Transplant when the seedlings have formed a healthy root system and several true leaves.

Lisianthus benefits from establishing in relatively cool conditions rather than being planted for the first time during intense summer heat.

When transplanting, handle the root system carefully and avoid unnecessary root disturbance.

Keep newly transplanted plants consistently moist while their roots establish. Once established, Lisianthus becomes considerably more tolerant of short dry periods.

Planting & Growing

Plant Falda™ Light Apricot in fertile, well-drained soil with plenty of light.

For cut-flower production, plants can be spaced approximately 10–15 cm apart. Relatively close spacing encourages long, upright stems suitable for cutting.

Provide:

• Full sun and good light
• Fertile, well-drained soil
• Consistent moisture during establishment
• Good air circulation
• Regular watering without waterlogging

Falda™ produces stems approximately 70–90 cm long, making it particularly suitable for professional cut-flower production.

Support Netting

Although Falda™ has sturdy stems, support netting is recommended when growing Lisianthus commercially for cutting.

A support net helps keep the long stems straight and protects the crop from leaning or lodging as the plants become taller and carry more flowers.

Pinching

Pinching is not essential for standard cut-flower production.

Growing the plant without pinching generally encourages longer stems and larger individual flowers.

Pinching can encourage additional branching and more stems, but these stems may be shorter and the individual flowers somewhat smaller.

For premium long-stem production, plants can therefore be grown without pinching.

Watering

After transplanting, water carefully and consistently while the plants establish.

Once the root system is well developed, Lisianthus is more tolerant of moderate dry periods, but plants should not be deliberately stressed if irrigation is available.

Avoid constantly wet or poorly drained soil.

Once plants are established, drip irrigation is particularly suitable because it keeps the foliage drier while supplying water directly to the root zone.

Days to Bloom

The exact time from sowing to flowering varies considerably according to temperature, light levels, sowing date and growing conditions.

For Falda™ Light Apricot, the most useful production information is its Group 2 classification and flowering earliness of approximately 2–3, rather than one fixed number of days from seed to bloom.

Lisianthus should therefore be sown well in advance of the desired harvest period.

Harvesting for Cut Flowers

Falda™ produces numerous flowers and buds on each stem.

For good vase performance, harvest when approximately 2–3 flowers on the stem are open and additional mature buds are present.

Very small, immature buds may not develop fully after cutting, so avoid harvesting the stems too early.

Cut long stems with clean, sharp secateurs and place them immediately into clean water.

Excellent Vase Life

Lisianthus is highly valued as a cut flower because of its exceptionally good vase life.

With clean water and correct harvesting, the flowers can remain attractive for a long period. Proper post-harvest hygiene and clean containers are particularly important for maintaining flower quality.

Why Grow Falda™ Light Apricot?

Elegant single flowers • Beautiful fringed petals • Very pale apricot-champagne colour • Group 2 • Numerous flowers per stem • Medium-sized blooms • Thick resilient petals • Strong 70–90 cm stems • Excellent for cutting and transport

Falda™ Light Apricot F1 is an excellent choice for flower growers looking for something different from traditional double Lisianthus. Its combination of single fringed flowers, abundant blooms, strong stems and an exceptionally delicate light apricot-champagne colour creates beautiful volume while retaining a refined, airy appearance.