How to grow Fringed Gentian

This plant grows naturally in wet meadows and bogs, and therefore will require frequent watering to keep the soil evenly moist. Well-drained organic soils are ideal.

The seeds need a three month period of cold moist stratification to germinate.

Begin by sowing seeds on the surface of moist soil at a temperature of 21°C (70°F) for one month. For the next month, keep the temperature at or below freezing temperatures. For the third month, bring the temperature back up to 10°C (50°F).

Specimens should not be collected from the wild. This plant propagates only through its seeds, so collect sparingly from wild plants. Collected seeds should not be allowed to dry out before sowing.

Seeds remain viable for up to four years if stored in a sealed, refrigerated container.

These estimates for how long Fringed Gentian takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.

The name gentian is derived from the Greek king Gentius, who discovered this plant’s medicinal properties.

This flower has served as the inspiration for many well-known writers and poets, including William Cullen Bryant, Emily Dickinson and Henry David Thoreau.

Blue Gentian, Greater Fringed Gentian, Great Plains Fringed Gentian

Gentiana crinita Froel.