All flowers
Chinese Gentian Wikimedia Commons
Gentianaceae

Chinese Gentian

Gentiana sino-ornata

Exquisite beauty.

Family
Gentianaceae
Genus
Gentiana
Native to
China (Tibet, Yunnan, Sichuan)
Bloom season
Fall
Type
Perennial
Height
5-10 cm
Sunlight
Full sun to partial shade
Soil
Acidic, humus-rich, moist
Water
Regular
Hardiness
5-7
Lifespan
Perennial

Did you know

  • It is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful of all gentian species, with vivid trumpet-shaped blue flowers.
  • The plant was introduced to Western gardens by the famous plant hunter George Forrest in 1904.
  • It blooms in autumn when most alpine plants have finished flowering, providing rare late-season color.
  • Each trailing stem produces a single large flower that can be up to 6 cm long.
  • It requires acidic soil and will not thrive in alkaline conditions, unlike some other gentians.

Color meanings

0

Loveliness

1

Deep admiration

2

Rarity

Uses

  • Alpine gardens
  • Rock gardens
  • Trough gardens
  • Specimen planting