Gentiana saponaria
This North American native perennial about 18 inches tall bears clusters of blue cigar-shaped flowers in September and October and works well as a border mingler or woodland specimen.
Common Names
Soapwort Gentian, Harvestbells, Moss Gentian
Summary
Gentiana saponaria, Harvestbells or Soapwort Gentian, is a perennial herb in the Gentianaceae native to eastern North America, it grows 10–65 cm tall with opposite stalkless dark green leaves, an inflorescence at the stem apex bears 1–8 blue flowers, each 3–5 cm long, with five sepals fused into a short tube and five petals with short fringed plaits, flowering from September to mid‑November, fruits are capsules containing numerous seeds and the plant is usually found in sandy moist prairies, Black Oak savannas, moist or seasonally wet thickets, open woods, or along railroad tracks, with substantial regional variation and rarity in parts of its range, in cultivation, it prefers full sun to partial shade with moist, well‑drained soils rich in organic matter, tolerating loam, sand, or clay and a pH from acidic to neutral, maintain consistent underground moisture and avoid root disturbance, propagation by seed with cold stratification or division, with cuttings also used, suitable for borders, rock gardens, woodland gardens, and naturalized areas, and attractive to bees.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
12-24 inches
Spread
6-24 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 5a-9b
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally Full Sun to Partial Shade.
Soil Type
Moist, sandy soil
Soil Drainage
Moist, well-drained soil.
Soil pH
6.0-7.5 (alkaline to neutral)
Bloom Color
Blue
Bloom Time
Fall
Foliage Color
Dark green
Fall Foliage Color
Yellow, Red/Burgundy
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Moderate growth rate, reaches maturity in about 2–3 years under optimal conditions.
Seasons of Interest
Fall
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings, Division
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- L.
- Publication
- Sp. Pl. : 228 (1753)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Gentianales
- Family
- Gentianaceae
- Genus
- Gentiana
Synonyms
Xolemia elliotea Xolemia collinsiana Xolemia trachiloma Xolemia shortiana Pneumonanthe torreyana Pneumonanthe rigida Pneumonanthe michauxii Ciminalis saponaria Dasystephana cherokeensis Dasystephana latifolia Dasystephana puberula Dasystephana saponaria Gentiana axillaris Gentiana cherokeensis Gentiana collinsiana Gentiana elliottea Gentiana fimbriata Gentiana latifolia Gentiana puberula Gentiana rigida Gentiana saponaria var. allegheniensis Gentiana saponarifolia Gentiana scaberrima Gentiana shortiana Gentiana torreyana Pneumonanthe puberula Pneumonanthe latifolia Pneumonanthe saponaria Pneumonanthe saponaria Gentiana ochroleuca Gentiana latifolia Cuttera saponaria Gentiana elliottii var. latifolia Gentiana saponaria var. alba