Gentiana dahurica

Gentiana dahurica is a charming Asian Gentian with a lax habit, glossy foliage in a beautiful bright green colour, and a late flowering display of tubular blue-violet flowers with cream throats. A small-sized Gentian, it should be planted in a sunny or partially shaded spot in moist soil. Finally, a Gentian for beginner gardeners!

Gentiana dahurica, also known as Siberian Gentian, belongs to the Gentianaceae family and is an Asian botanical species native to China and Mongolia, where it grows on sunny grassy slopes between 800 and 4500 meters (2625 and 14764 feet) above sea level. This Gentian is an herbaceous perennial with a bushy and sprawling silhouette. Due to its lax habit, its flexible stems tend to lie on the ground. Wider than it is tall, it reaches a height of about 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12in) with a spread of 40 cm (16in). Its semi-evergreen foliage is shiny, with narrow lanceolate leaves in a fresh and bright green colour. From July to September, tubular blue-violet flowers with cream throats appear, emerging from the axils of the leaves or in terminal clusters.

The term Gentiana refers to Gentius, the 2nd-century BC king of Illyria (now Albania), who, according to Pliny the Elder, discovered the medicinal and healing properties of the yellow Gentian root.

This Gentian is one of the easiest to grow and simply needs to be planted in a sunny or partially shaded spot in humus-rich, moderately moist to moist, well-drained soil. Its late summer flowering makes it a precious plant for adding life to the garden late in the season. Due to its modest size, it is best placed in a rockery, at the edge of a flowerbed, or even grown in a trough on a terrace. It can also be planted in a lawn, where its lax habit, bright green foliage, and charming deep blue flowering will be spectacular. As its stems tend to lie on the ground, it will be necessary to plant supportive plants next to it to help it stand more upright. It naturalizes easily and will readily self-seed around its base without becoming invasive. It pairs perfectly with low-growing perennial plants that flower late in the season, such as Astilbes, certain Poppies, Agapanthus, Asters, and other Gentians.