Japanese gentian is an East Asian wildflower that opens deep blue, bell-shaped flowers in late summer and fall. It is not native to the US, but it is grown in some American gardens as a late-season perennial.
Appearance
- Growth form
- An upright perennial about 3 ft (1 m) tall in cultivation.
- Flowers
- Deep blue, five-lobed bells cluster at the tips of the stems and in the leaf joints. The flowers open fully only in sunshine.
- Flowering time
- In gardens it blooms from September into October.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- mountain meadows
- grassy hillsides
- Range
- Native to Japan, Korea, northeastern China, and eastern Siberia. Americans know it as a garden plant.
- Preferred conditions
- In gardens it wants full sun and soil that stays moist but drains well, from neutral to acidic. It is rated for USDA zones 5–7.
Growing it
- Care
- Planted in borders and beds for late color. Japanese breeders have developed many varieties for pots and cut flowers.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
Culture and stories
- Culture and stories
- The very bitter roots have long been used as a 'bitter tonic' in traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicine.
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