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Gentiana andrewsii

closed bottle gentian

Gentianaceae Eastern and central North America

Attracts Pollinators Deer Resistant

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterHigh

HardinessZones 3–7

Overview

An upright perennial growing 1–2 feet (30–60 cm) tall from a clump of unbranched stems. Leaves are opposite, lance-shaped to oval, 2–4 inches (5–10 cm) long, smooth and medium to dark green, clustered toward the top of the stem. The deep blue to violet flowers are bottle-shaped and remain closed at the tip, never opening fully, 1–1.5 inches (2.5–4 cm) long, clustered tightly at the stem tip and in the upper leaf axils. White-tipped pleated tissue joins the closed petal lobes. Bloom occurs from August to October. Bumblebees force their way into the sealed flowers to reach nectar and pollen. Small capsules with many tiny seeds follow. The plant grows from a slow-spreading crown, dies back each winter, and is slow to establish from seed, taking 3–4 years to flower. Stems may lean under the weight of the flower clusters.

Native Range

Native to central and eastern North America from Quebec and the Great Lakes south to Georgia and west to the Great Plains. Grows in moist meadows, prairie swales, streambanks, and open woodland edges in rich, damp soils.

Suggested Uses

Grown in moist meadow plantings, rain gardens, and native borders at 12–18 inch (30–45 cm) spacing. Used in pollinator gardens, where bumblebees are the main visitors able to open the sealed flowers. Suited to damp, rich soils and not to dry sites.

How to Identify

Recognized by deep blue bottle-shaped flowers that stay closed at the tip, clustered at the top of the stem in late summer. The opposite lance-shaped leaves crowd toward the stem tip. Distinguished from Gentiana clausa, a closely similar species, by the white pleats projecting slightly beyond the blue petal lobes.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 2'

Width/Spread1' - 1'6"

Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~4 weeks

Summer Fall

Flowers from August through October, later than most meadow perennials. An individual plant blooms for 3–4 weeks. Cool fall weather holds the flowers in condition, and bloom ends with hard frost.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Deep blue to violet

Foliage Description

Medium to dark green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam silt

Drainagemoist

Water & Climate

Water Needs

High

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

3-4 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun to partial shade in consistently moist, rich, slightly acidic soils. Water during dry spells, as the plant declines in drought and needs steady moisture. It is slow to establish and may take several years to reach flowering size. Root disturbance sets the plant back, and it re-establishes slowly after division. Slugs may damage young shoots in spring. Few other pests or diseases affect it.

Pruning

Cut dead stems to the ground in late fall or early spring. No deadheading is needed. The plant recovers slowly from division, so it is moved or split only when necessary, in spring. No other pruning is required.

Pruning Schedule

fallearly spring

✓ Toxicity

Non-toxic