Bottle Gentian, Gentiana andrewsii

Finding a bottle gentian growing in the prairie is like suddenly being encountered by a bolt of lightning in the grass! Their blue is absolutely electric amidst the tans of the late summer grass. One needs to know where to look as they are not especially common. But as hard as they may be to find, they are even harder to grow!

Bottle gentian, also called “closed gentian,” is a slow growing, long lived plant that grows to a height of about two feet. It favors moist, or at least rich, soil. A wonderful plant for adding a splash of late season color to a planting. Pollinated almost exclusively by bumblebees, it offers the rare treat to watch bumblebees completely disappear inside the flower! Check it out!

Life Cycle: Perennial
Size: 2 feet
Sun: Full, Partial
Soil: Medium, Medium-Wet
Bloom Time: August, September, October
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