Bottle Gentian
By Lise Fracalossi
aka closed gentian, meadow bottle gentian
Gentiana clausa
Native to: All of New England
Life cycle: Perennial
Light: Full Sun to Full Shade
Soil Moisture: Wet to Medium-Wet
Height: 10-18"
Spacing: 1-2’
Blooms: Late summer
Bloom Color: Blue, Purple
Natural Habitat: Wet woods and meadows
Benefits: Attracts Bees, Attracts Butterflies, Meadow garden, Rain Garden
Pairs Well With: Blue lobelia, golden groundsel, cranesbill geranium, blue iris, swamp milkweed, and tall white aster
“Upon first encountering this plant, one wonders when the flowers will finally open. Eventually you realize the flower ‘buds’ you are inspecting are the mature flowers–the proof comes in watching pollinators such as bumblebees forcing their way into the ‘bottle.’”
– Native Plant Trust
Bottle gentian (Gentiana clausa)
Photo by Alan Weakley on iNaturalist - Public Domain, no rights reserved