Gentiana villosa

Common Names

Striped Gentian

Summary

Native to the eastern United States, striped gentian is a glabrous perennial herb in the Gentianaceae growing as an erect to ascending plant 7–60 cm tall with 1–5 stems arising from a caudex and opposite, glossy leaves 2.5–10 cm long. Dense cymes bear greenish-white to white flowers often striped with purple; the tubular corolla is 30–55 mm long with erect lobes, set in a green calyx with five irregular linear lobes. Flowers occur in fall to early winter, and the plant inhabits dry upland forests and dry open woods, tolerating a moisture range from xeric to mesic across elevations 0–800 m. For cultivation, it prefers well-drained soils and a moisture range from xeric to mesic, thriving in upland habitats such as dry open woods and mesic woods, with elevations from 0 to 800 m. Suitable for woodland or naturalistic plantings, it provides autumnal interest with its striped flowers. In traditional uses, the plant features in Native American medicine as Sampson's snakeroot; roots carried as a charm in Appalachia, and Catawba boiled roots used to relieve back pain.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

8-19.5 inches

Soil Type

No single ideal soil; Gentiana villosa occurs on a wide range of soils from base-rich to nutrient-poor, in dry to occasionally mesic upland forests and clearings.

Soil pH

Tolerates all pH levels

Bloom Color

Greenish-white, striped with purple.

Bloom Time

Fall (August through November)

Foliage Color

Dark green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Seasons of Interest

Fall and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts insect pollinators