Common Name:

General Information

Gentiana prostrata is an annual plant with prostrate to ascending, slender stems that can be unbranched or branched from the base; it grows around 3- 7cm tall[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Eurasia - eastern Alps; northeast Europe and Turkey, east to Russian Far East and the Himalayas; western N. America - Alaska and Yukon to California

Habitat

Slopes, roadsides, valleys, alpine meadows, moist grassland bogs; at elevations from 2,000 - 4,700 metres in the Himalayas[]. Found in damp, stony, short grass, on igneous rock and limestone; at elevations from 2,200 - 2,800 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	0.06 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Gentiana prostrata is a very widespread species, native to mountainous regions in the temperate zone of Eurasia and western N. America. A very 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[].
Plants are intolerant of root disturbance[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The whole plant is used as a tonic[, ].

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 until ready to plant out