Common Name: Green Gentian

General Information

Frasera speciosa is a monocarpic, perennial plant, remaining as a basal rosette for several years before sending up a flowering stem;around 50 - 200cm tall and then dying after setting seed[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine, parasiticide and possibly as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Western and central N. America - Washington, Montana and South Dakota, south to northern Mexico and Texas

Habitat

Dryish or dampish places[]. Rich soils in open pine woods, aspen groves, montane to subalpine meadows etc; at elevations from 1,500 - 3,000 metres[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Biennial/Perennial
Height	1.20 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Frasera speciosa is
Requires a moist but well-drained position and a stony peaty soil[, ]. Requires an acidic soil[].
A very ornamental plant[].
Studies have shown that, within any one population, after several years in which all or most plants have remained in the rosette stage, all or most of the larger plants are likely to flower in the same year, while the smaller plants remain vegetative[]..

Edible Uses

Root[, , , ]. It has been reported that the N. American Indians ate the fleshy root of this plant, but caution is advised since the roots of closely related plants are used medicinally as emetics and cathartics[]. See the notes above on toxicity.

Medicinal

The whole plant is febrifuge, pectoral, laxative and tonic[, ]. An infusion of the dried, powdered leaves, or the root, has been used in the treatment of diarrhoea[]. A cooled decoction of the roots has been used in the treatment of asthma, colds, digestive complaints etc[].
An infusion of the plant has been used as a contraceptive[].
Caution is advised in the use of this plant, see the notes above on toxicity.

Other Uses

The root, when ground into a powder and then mixed with oil, has been used as a parasiticide in order to kill lice[].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division in late winter[].