Wholesale Gentian

01.
A Bit of Botany

a little botanical information about gentian

description
Gentiana lutea is a member of the Gentianaceae family. It is a herbaceous perennial plant, growing to 1–2 m tall, with broad lanceolate to elliptic leaves 10–30 cm long and 4–12 cm broad. The flowers are yellow, with the corolla separated nearly to the base into 5-7 narrow petals. The root is long and thick, generally about a foot long and an inch in diameter, but sometimes even a yard or more long and 2 inches in diameter, of a yellowish-brown color and a very bitter taste. The stem grows 3 or 4 feet high or more, with a pair of leaves opposite to one another, at each joint. The lowest leaves have short foot-stalks, but the upper ones are stalkless, their bases almost embracing the stem. They are yellowish-green in color, oblong in shape and pointed, rather stiff, with five prominent veins on the underside, and diminish gradually in size as they grow up the stem. The large flowers are in whorls in the axils of the uppermost few pairs of leaves, forming big orange-yellow clusters. The corollas are wheel-shaped, usually five-cleft, 2 inches across, sometimes marked with rows of small brown spots, giving a red tinge to the otherwise deep yellow. Seeds in abundance are produced by strong plants, and stock is easily raised from them.

common names & nomenclature
The name of the genus is derived from Gentius, an ancient King of Illyria (180-167 B.C.) who is believed to have used the herb as a tonic.

Also known as:
yellow gentian, great yellow gentian, wild gentian, bitter root, bitterwort, devil’s taint

02.
Where in the World

habitat and range for gentian

Yellow Gentian is a native of the Alpine and sub-alpine pastures of central and southern Europe, frequent in the mountains of Spain and Portugal, the Pyrenees, Sardinia and Corsica, the Apennines, the Mountains of Auvergne, the Jura, the lower slopes of the Vosges, the Black Forest and throughout the chain of the Alps as far as Bosnia and the Balkan States.

03.
Cultivation & Harvesting

considerations for growing and harvesting gentian

climate
Gentian grows in grassy alpine and sub-alpine pastures in full sun to part shade.

soil
Prefers lime soils that are moist and well-drained.

growing
Sow gentian seed as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame or greenhouse. It can also be sown in late winter or early spring but the seed germinates best if given a period of cold stratification and quickly loses viability when stored, with older seed germinating slowly. The seed should be surface-sown, or only covered with a very light covering of compost. The seed requires dark for germination, so the pots should be covered with something like newspaper or be kept in a dark location. When large enough to handle, transplant seedlings to individual pots, plant out in the garden in the spring.

harvesting
Gentian root, which can be as thick as a person’s arm, is harvested in autumn, cut into smaller pieces and dried for later use.

preserving
Store dried gentian root in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

04.
The Rest of the Story

gentian history, folklore, literature & more