Gentiana andrewsii Bottle Gentian

Ohio Native Plant Natural Range

To view the natural range of Gentiana andrewsii visit the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service website. United Plant Savers Medicinal Plant Conservation - Species at Risk
Bottle Gentian

Cultivation Information Bottle Gentian

Thick leaves of Gentiana andrewsii make it easy to identify even if the flowers aren't in bloom
Height - 2 feet Flower Color - BlueSun - Full to Part SsunHardy Zone - 3 to 6Blooms - August - OctoberPerennial Soil - Average to Moist,
Family - Gentianaceae
Propagation Notes Bottle Gentian
Stratification
Storage - Small Zip lock plastic bag with a few tablespoons of moistened vermiculite. The seed needs light in order to germinate so it is important not to cover tiny seeds with potting soil when sowing. Harvest seed - Seed is mature late in the fall as flowers change from bright blue to brown and papery. Wait until the seed is brown before collecting. Seeds require cold moist storage in order to germinate
Seed Provenance Gentiana andrewsii
Nodding Onion Gardens - 2019 - present - Praire Moon Nusery 2018
Late in the season seedpods, look like used dried coffee filters
Wildlife Significance Bottle Gentian
Pollinated - It seems that the only insect strong enough to pry open the flower petals are Bumblebees. Since Bottle Gentian are self sterile, they rely on the "work horse" Bumble Bees to transport pollen from one Gentiana andrewsii neighbor to the next. In order for seed to mature, one would need to plant several Bottle Gentian plantsNectar - Since nectar levels aren't especially high, one would assume that with all the work the Bumblebees have to go through to collect pollen that is especially nutritious.Deer - Tend to leave Bottle Gentian alone as leaves and roots are bitter from the chemicalTo attract bumblebees, which are very good pollinators, a plant needs to produce either a lot of sweet nectar that has a high sugar content, or a lot of pollen with high protein and lipid (fats and oils) content, or both. If the reward is significant enough, bumbles will work hard to get the reward, and keep visiting the same kind of flower all day long. For detailed information, visit Illinois Wildflower website

Historical Herbal Remedies Gentiana andrewsii

*Information in the following paragraphs is strictly provided for educational purposes only. Nodding Onion Gardens is not qualified or certified to make any herbal recommendations. We are merely fascinated by how closely knit relationships held between pollinators, birds, wildlife, plants and people truly are!
The Iroquois Tribe, from Upstate NY, used Gentiana andrewsii to treat: muscle soreness, headaches, liver and eye issues. The Meskwaki People, originally from the St. Lawrence River Valley, located in Northern New York used it to cure snake bites and mastitis. It makes perfect sense that the Native American Ethnobotany records both of these native people groups having utilized Bottle Gentian for medicinal purposes as the northeast section of the United States is primary where Gentiana andrewsii is naturally available. Today herbalists use Bottle Gentian in many of the same ways that Indigenous people did. The United Plant Savers in Ohio list this plant as at Risk due to overharvesting. Propagating your own Bottle Gentian or purchasing it from a reputable native plant nursery can alleviate a bit of the stress that wild populations of Gentiana andrewsii are experiencing.
Contact
noddingoniongardens@gmail.com
Location
Columbia Station, Oh 44028 US
Ohio Department of Agriculture Nursery Inspection 2009 - 2025
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