Common Name:

General Information

Gentiana verna is a stemless, herbaceous perennial plant with a stoloniferous rootstock; a tufted plant sometimes forming small low hummocks or mats, it can grow up to 10cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is often grown as an ornamental, valued especially for the intense blue of its flowers - there are several named forms[]..

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Mountainous regions of western, southern and eastern Europe, through Turkey, the Caucusus, Iran and Iraq

Habitat

Mountain pastures, dry and moist meadows, heaths, dry banks, mountain ledges or forest clearings, generally on limestone; at elevations from 600 - 2,900 metres[, ]

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.08 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Gentiana verna is native to mountainous regions in the temperate zone of southern Europe and western Asia, where it can be found at elevations up to 2,900 metres. 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 requires an open, sunny position with moderate soil moisture, high atmospheric humidity and good drainage[].
Plants are intolerant of root disturbance[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The plant is used in the treatment of dyspepsia[].

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 of larger clumps can take place in early summer. This species only occasionally grows large enough to be successfully divided. Individual rosettes can be carefully removed from the clump, these can be potted up for a few weeks befor being planted in their permanent positions[].