Common Name: Harvestbells

General Information

Gentiana saponaria is a herbaceous perennial plant forming a tuft or a small clump; the erect to ascending stems can grow up to 75cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Central, eastern and southern N. America - Wisconsin, Michigan and New York, south to Texas and Florida

Habitat

Wet soils[] in woodlands[]. Open forest, along lake and river shores and bogs,

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.75 m
Pollinators	Bumblebees, butterFlies
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Gentiana saponaria is native to the temperate zone of central, eastern and southern N. Ameriica.. A very cold-tolerant plant, when fully dormant it can withstand temperatures down to about -25°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 grows well in the woodland garden[], preferring a moist soil in semi-shade, and requiring a lime-free soil[].
Plants are intolerant of root disturbance[].
A moisture loving plant, preferring to grow with full exposure to the sun but with plenty of underground moisture in the summer, it grows better in the north and west of Britain[].
The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental, even though the flowers do not open fully, even in its native range[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The root is said to be an antidote to snakebites[].
This N. American species has medicinal properties practically identical with the European gentians[]. The following notes are based on the general uses of G. lutea which is the most commonly used species in the West[].

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 some of the most bitter compounds known and is used as a scientific basis for measuring bitterness[]. It is especially useful in states of exhaustion from chronic disease and in 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 is an excellent tonic to combine with a purgative in order to prevent its debilitating effects[]. The root is anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, bitter tonic, cholagogue, emmenagogue, febrifuge, refrigerant, stomachic[, , , , , , ]. It is taken internally in the treatment of liver complaints, indigestion, gastric infections and anorexia[]. It should not be prescribed for patients with gastric or duodenal ulcers[]. The root 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[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a light position in a cold frame, usung a compost enriched with peat or similar[]. 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 and must not be allowed to become dry. 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[].