Description
Gentiana clausa
CR DR RG P
Soil: Acidic, Rich, Moist, Well-drained
Moisture: Moist to Wet
Light: Part Sun
Plant Height: 10 to 24 inches
Plant Width: 12 to 24 inches
Pests: None.
Landscape Value: Great for open woodland gardens, rain gardens, meadow gardens, naturalized areas, and along streambanks.
New this year! Unique, multi-stemmed perennial with lush, dark green foliage that turns reddish in the fall. Dark blue-violet flowers appear late summer to fall in tight clusters atop stems and occasionally in leaf axils. Terminal flower clusters have a whorl of leaves located at their base. Flowers are unique in that they never open up. They have four petals that are fused together to form a “bottle,” which resembles a Christmas light bulb. Though flowers are closed, they are pollinated by bumblebees; petals have extra folds along their seams that act as expansion joints, enabling strong bumblebees to muscle their way inside to reach the nectar. Mulch with rotted leaves or compost in spring. Tolerates clay soil and black walnut.
1 quart pot
Photo credits:
Native Plant Trust (photos by Dawn Dentzer and Arthur Haines)
