Gentiana scabra Royal Stripes

Gentiana scabra 'Royal Stripes' is a deciduous and hardy variety of gentian, with an astonishing flowering where each upright bell displays beautiful gentian blue stripes on a white background. They bloom in late summer, on a compact plant dressed in dark green evergreen foliage. Originating from an Asian high-altitude species, this gentian takes time to establish and is not the easiest to grow in the garden, but it is undoubtedly one of the most unique. It will thrive in a cool rockery in morning sun in a favourable climate. It also creates beautiful flowering pots to decorate the terrace or balcony.

The 'Royal Stripes' Gentian is a horticultural creation derived from Gentiana scabra or Japanese gentian, a species native to meadows at medium altitudes and moist rocky slopes in Asia. It is found in China, Japan, Korea, as well as in Russia (Mongolia). It belongs to the Gentianaceae family. A perennial cushion plant, slightly mat-forming, with persistent foliage, this tufted gentian is adorned with lanceolate leaves, slightly pointed, rough, measuring about 4 to 6 cm (2in) long, of a beautiful dark green, with tips sometimes tinged with blue-violet. Slow-growing, it does not exceed 25 cm (10in) in all directions. In August-September, numerous large solitary flowers in the shape of wide trumpets open on very short stems, almost concealing the foliage. They open fully only in very bright sunlight. Each one has a corolla composed of 5 lobes with a prominent, slightly curving central zone of white colour, surrounded by two narrow zones of bright blue. The throat of the flower is dotted with green, just like the white part of some lobes. This gentian develops a taproot that penetrates deep into the soil and does not appreciate being disturbed.

As is the case for most alpine plants, the Royal Stripes gentian will be easy to grow as long as the appropriate growing conditions are provided. This mountain plant does not appreciate hot climates or more or less dry, alkaline and/or poorly drained soils. In the ground it will ideally be placed in a soil rich with compost, remaining moist and well-drained, on a wall, in a rockery, on a slope, bordering flowerbeds, or in a trough, in a mountain garden. It prefers acidic rocky spaces, sunny without being too hot, or partially shaded, where it can root deeply. This Gentian can be combined, in a flower bed or rockery, with Snowdrops, Botanical Tulips, crocuses, Lewisias, dwarf Conifers, corydalis or even heucheras. It can be grown in pots without difficulty, under the same growing conditions.

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