A whole range of different types of gentian are summarized under the umbrella term gentian. Not all of them are suitable for the home garden. The individual species differ greatly in terms of flower colour, flowering times and location requirements.

Not all gentian species are blue; there are also yellow, purple and white gentian varieties

The big family of gentians

There are so many types of gentians that it is difficult to list them all. For the hobby gardener, however, only a few varieties play a role.

The types that stay low and are very easy to care for are particularly suitable for the ornamental garden.

However, it is important to know the exact variety. Some types of gentian absolutely need calcareous soil, while others only thrive on acidic soil.

Stemless gentian species

The two most well-known types of stalkless gentian grown in the garden are the Clusius gentian and the Koch's gentian. They look very similar, but have very different wishes for the location.

It is best to plant Clusius gentian on calcareous soil, while Koch's gentian is a better choice on acidic soil.

The two types can be distinguished by the flower. The flowers of Koch's gentian have five conspicuous green dots. The shoots of the Clusius gentian are also shorter than those of the other member of the gentian family.

Small overview of known gentian species

designation botanical name flower color height heyday floor particularities
spring gentian Gentiana verna blue about 10 cm March to August Calcareous, lean 2nd flowering in autumn
Clusius gentian Gentiana clusii blue about 10 cm May to August calcareous very short stem
Koch's gentian Gentiana acaulis Azure blue with 5 green spots about 10 cm May to August angry
Autumn gentian Gentiana scabra blue 30 to 60 cm May to December sandy
Yellow gentian Gentiana lutea yellow 50 to 150 cm June to August calcareous flowers only after 10 years
white gentian Gentiana tibetica White up to 40 cm July to August
Bavarian gentian Gentiana bavarica blue up to 10 cm July to August calcareous

tips and tricks

The gentian schnapps, which is very popular in southern Europe, is made from the root of the yellow gentian. The perennials grown in the ornamental garden do not contain enough bitter substances to obtain the typical gentian aroma.

Category:

Vegetable garden