Bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii)
Bottle gentian is a unique wildflower with bluish purple blossoms that appear to remain closed. It can grow in the woods or in a sunny bed as long as there is adequate moisture. It blooms in late summer, providing a late season nectar source for bumblebees.
Natural habitat: Moist woods
Light requirements: Part sun
Soil requirements: Moist to wet
USDA hardiness: Zones 3-7
Height: 1′-2′
Spacing: 1′-2′
Wildlife value: Bees
Deer resistance: Tolerant (buds may get nibbled)
Rabbit resistance: Resistant
Germination requirements
60 CMS; requires light to germinate
Bottle gentian seeds require 60 days of cold moist stratification (abbreviated CMS in many reference guides). Stratification is the process of pre-treating seeds to mimic their natural cycles in an artificial setting.
Cold moist stratification can be achieved by sowing the seeds in your planting medium, gently watering them in, and setting them outside for a minimum of 60 days of temperatures consistently below 40 degrees. They will germinate when the soil warms up in spring. Alternatively, you can mix the seeds with a small amount of moist (not wet) sand, perlite, or vermiculite in a plastic baggie and place it in a refrigerator for 60 days. After chilling the seeds for 60 days, sow them by spreading out the contents of the baggie on the surface of your medium and gently watering them in.
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