Common Name: Willow Gentian

General Information

Gentiana asclepiadea is a herbaceous perennial plant producing a clump of usually unbranched, arching stems around 40 - 70cm long, occasionally to 100cm[, ].
The plant is often harvested from the wild for local and often wider use as a medicine. The roots are often used as a substitute for Gentiana lutea in making proprietary medicines for use as a bitter tonic, stomachic etc. It is often grown as an ornamental, there are several named forms[].
Gentiana asclepiadea has a widespread distribution in Europe and although there is no information on major threats or the population trend, it is clearly stated as not threatened in parts of its range and has even been described as common in Romania. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Central and southern Europe to west Asia - mountainous regions from France and Germany to Turkey, the Caucasus and northwest Iran

Habitat

Open meadows, woodland clearings, moist hillsides, ravines and forest borders; at elevations from 500 - 2,000 metres, but mainly 1,000 - 1,500 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.55 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Gentiana asclepiadea is native to mountainous regions in the temperate zone of Europe and west Asia, usually at elevations below 1,500 metres. A moderately cold-tolerant plant, when fully dormant it can withstand temperatures down to about -20°c[].
Gentiana species generally grow best when there is ample moisture to the roots in the growing season, but they also require very good drainage[]. Often being native to mountainous regions, they require a certain minimum of atmospheric humidity; a high light intensity; but also a site where temperatures are not too high in the growing season[]. They are therefore more difficult to grow in areas with hot summers and in such a region they appreciate some protection from the strongest sunlight[, ]. Most species will grow well in the rock garden[]. This species is generally of easy cultivation, tolerating a range of soils and preferring a moist position in light to medium shade[].
A long-lived species[].
Plants are intolerant of root disturbance[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The roots and top growth are used as a bitter tonic to improve the digestion. The plant is a popular traditional medicine in Serbia for the treatment of hepatitis infections, and the local name for it is 'Grass of Jaundice'[].
Gentian root (obtained from various species in the genus) is prepared as a dry or liquid extract, a tincture or comminuted herbal substance. It is traditionally used in the treatment of mild dyspeptic and gastrointestinal disorders as well as to treat loss of appetite[]

This species is one of several in the genus that can be used as a substitute for the better known Gentiana lutea, its main drawback being the smaller size of its roots[]. The uses of Gentiana lutea are as follows:-
Gentian root has a long history of use as a herbal bitter in the treatment of digestive disorders and is an ingredient of many proprietary medicines. It contains the glycosides 'gentiopicrin' and 'amarogentin' - these are some of the most bitter compounds known and are used as a scientific basis for measuring bitterness[, ].
The root is especially useful in relieving states of exhaustion from chronic disease and in the treatment all cases of debility, weakness of the digestive system and lack of appetite[]. It is one of the best strengtheners of the human system, stimulating the liver, gall bladder and digestive system and helping to regulate the thyroid gland[], and is an excellent tonic to combine with the use of a purgative in order to prevent its debilitating effects[].
The root is anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, bitter tonic, cholagogue, emmenagogue, febrifuge, refrigerant and stomachic[, , , , , ]. It is taken internally as a general tonic, appetiser and digestive, and also in the treatment of liver complaints, indigestion, gastric infections and anorexia[].
The root should not be prescribed for patients with gastric or duodenal ulcers[].
The root, which can be as thick as a person's arm and has few branches[], is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use[]. It is quite likely that the roots of plants that have not flowered are the richest in medicinal properties[].

A methanol extract of the aerial parts of this plant have shown a good antioxidant activity in vitro[].
Extracts of the aerial parts and roots have shown
hepatoprotective activty[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown in early January in a light position in a cold frame[]. It can also be sown in late winter or early spring but the seed germinates best if given a period of cold stratification and quickly loses viability when stored, with older seed germinating slowly and erratically[, ]. It is advantageous to keep the seed at about 10°c for a few days after sowing, to enable the seed to imbibe moisture[]. Following this with a period of at least 5 - 6 weeks with temperatures falling to between 0 and -5°c will usually produce reasonable germination[]. It is best to use clay pots, since plastic ones do not drain so freely and the moister conditions encourage the growth of moss, which will prevent germination of the seed[]. The seed should be surface-sown, or only covered with a very light dressing of compost - it is vital to ensure the pots do not become dry[].. The seed requires dark for germination, so the pots should be covered with something like newspaper or be kept in the dark[]. Pot up the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow on in light shade in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. The seedlings grow on very slowly, taking 2 - 7 years to reach flowering size[]. When the plants are of sufficient size, place them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer.
Division of older plants is often possible in early spring before they come into growth.. Make sure each division has an adequate amount of root and several growth buds[].
Cuttings of basal shoots in late spring[].