Common Name:

General Information

Gentiana robusta is a herbaceous perennial plant with robust, ascending, unbranched stems; it grows around 10 - 30cm tall[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for use as a medicine.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - Himalayan regions of Tibet, Nepal and northern India

Habitat

Damp places in shrubberies, open slopes, meadows, stream banks; at elevations from 3,500 - 5,200 metres[]. Edges of cultivated land, roadsides, hillsides, alpine meadows; at elevations from 3,500 - 4,800 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.20 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

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 roots, leaves and flowers are used in the treatment of bile, liver and urinary system disorders, stomach and intestinal disorders, diarrhoea, cough, fever, inflammations due to wound, weakness, headache, swelling and food poisoning[].

A decoction of the leaves and flowers is taken in the treatment of stomach aches, fever, and oedema[].

An extract of the roots is used in the treatment of fevers[].

The dried roots and leaves are burned and the fumes inhaled as a treatment for colds[].

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.