Common Name:

General Information

Gentiana cephalantha is a herbaceous perennial plant forming a small clump of growth with a somewhat woody base, a basal rosette of leaves and unbranched flowering stems around 20 - 50cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a fermenting agent. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - southern China, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam

Habitat

Grassland and roadside slopes, scrub, forest margins, forests; at elevations from 1,800 - 4,500 metres[]

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.35 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Gentiana cephalantha is not a very cold-tolerant plant, when fully dormant it can withstand short periods with temperatures down to about -8°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 not difficult to grow if it is given a deep soil and good drainage[].
Plants are intolerant of root disturbance[].

Edible Uses

The aerial parts of the plant are used as a fermenting agent[]. (This probably refers to lactic fermenting of foods, rather than fermenting alcoholic beverages[])

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe 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. The seed requires dark for germination, so the pots should be covered with something like newspaper or be kept in the dark until germination begins[]. 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 in early spring[]. Most members of this genus have either a single tap-root, or a compact root system united in a single root head, and are thus unsuitable for division[].
Cuttings of basal shoots in late spring[].