The gentian (Gentiana) belongs to the genus of annual and perennial low-growing dwarf shrubs from the Gentian family, which includes about 400 species of plants that grow in natural conditions in all corners of the planet. Often, wild plantings of gentian are found in climatic temperate latitudes and cover the slopes of mountain alpine meadows. It will not be difficult for certain types of gentian to climb to a height of more than 5 thousand meters. above sea level, where they can grow and develop well.
Even in ancient times, the Egyptians learned to use herb as a remedy for diseases of the stomach and digestive system, and the Romans used gentian to stop seizures, cure abrasions and bites from poisonous animals.
Later, the herb began to be recognized in folk medicine and was prescribed for patients with tuberculosis, fever, plague, as well as for removing parasites from the body. Today the gentian plant is of particular value for the folk healers of Transcarpathia. According to these healers, the power of gentian lies in the substances contained in the tissues of the plant, which have a beneficial effect on inflammatory processes and are able to cure diseases of the liver, gallbladder and stomach.
The origin of the name refers to the Illyrian ruler Gentius. To stop the spread of the plague, the king used the root of the yellow gentian. When the plant became known in the Russian lands, it was given a slightly different name, which characterized the bitter taste of the grass due to the content of glycosidic components in the tissues.
Description and characteristics of gentian
The shoots of the semi-shrub are low, as a rule, do not exceed 1.5 m. The gentian plant is distinguished by erect, shortened stems and has a dense root, from which cord-like processes extend in different directions. Solid leaf plates are located on a branch in turn. Inflorescences are formed from 4-5 single or articulated flowers. The color of the flowers is either pale blue or dark purple. However, varieties can be seen blooming with yellow or white buds. The rim looks like a bell or a funnel, and some species modifications are decorated with rims resembling the shape of a plate. The flowering period for each gentian species falls on a different time period of the year. In place of the ripe inflorescences, a small-seeded box with dense valves is formed.
Planting gentian in open ground
Boarding time
Most gardeners choose the seed method for growing gentian. Sowing begins in mid-spring or September.Semi-shrub varieties blooming in May or September are not recommended to be sown in too open areas of the garden, since aggressive sunlight at noon will only inhibit the development of seedlings. For sowing, select places where light partial shade is observed. It is better to give preference to the western slopes. Here, young bushes will quickly take root and bloom.
It is advisable to cultivate late-flowering varieties near water bodies so that the site does not experience a lack of moisture.
Landing scheme
Before starting the spring sowing, the seeds are sent for stratification for two to three months in a well-ventilated room with an air temperature of up to 7˚C. Some species of gentian stratify for about a month. This time is enough for the material to be properly hardened, and the bushes in the future are not afraid of diseases. Alpine species undergo more prolonged stratification, which is due to the conditions of further growth. Store gentian seeds in vegetable boxes filled with a mixture of peat and fine sand. To do this, combine 1 part of peat and 3 parts of sand.
Sowing in winter does not imply a long-term stratification process. The seeds will have time to harden in their natural environment during the winter. The next year, already strengthened green seedlings will appear from them. Sowing is carried out on a prepared, leveled area. Seeds are evenly distributed over the soil surface and a little sprinkled with earth.
If the seedlings were grown from seedlings or purchased from a horticultural pavilion, each bush is placed one by one, adhering to an interval of 15 to 30 cm, depending on the size of the plant. Finish planting activities with abundant watering of the site. Adult gentian bushes can grow in the same place for more than 7 years without transplanting.
Gentian garden care
Caring for a gentian is quite simple, it is important to follow certain rules. After we managed to find the optimal place for growing gentian, and the sowing went well, it remains to periodically pay attention to the plantings and monitor their development. Young shoots need regular watering and loosening. So that the weeds do not drown out the growth of seedlings, they do a thorough weeding of the site. To preserve the decorative and attractiveness of shrubs, dried inflorescences must be cut off in time.
In regions where frosts are not accompanied by snowfall, and winter comes unexpectedly, a flower bed with plantings of gentian is covered with spruce branches.
Watering
The gentian is considered a moisture-loving plant, therefore it is necessary to keep the soil moist. Watering should be moderate, but regular. Seedlings feel the lack of water especially acutely during the drought period, when buds are laid and flowers open. As soon as the soil is saturated with moisture, the flower bed is loosened and weeds are removed from it. If you mulch the soil around the trunk circle with a layer of straw, sawdust or peat, this natural protection will greatly facilitate the care of the gentian in the future and save time.
Fertilization
This perennial flower can do without even feeding. It is enough to make a pillow of peat mulch. In addition to peat, lime crushed stone and horn flour are added under the bushes. The named fertilizers are enough for the plant to fully develop, and the shoots to grow greenery.
Diseases and pests of gentian
Diseases of gentian
Gray rot
Outdoor gentian half-shrubs are rarely infected with gray rot. Leaves develop mottling or rust. The most dangerous fungal infection is gray rot. With regard to diseases of viral origin, it is almost impossible to cope with them. The production of effective antiviral drugs has not yet been established. The appearance of gray mold is easy to spot. Gray-brown spots begin to grow on the leaves, which arise due to excess moisture.During the course of the disease, the spots become covered with gray mold. To save most of the plantings, diseased specimens are immediately cut out using a sterile tool, and the cut sites are treated with any fungicidal preparation, for example, Fundazole. To stop the progression of gray mold, shoots and leaves are sprayed with special chemicals.
Often, fungal spores of gray rot choose dense and poorly lit plantings for reproduction. In such places, as a rule, air access is limited, which accelerates the growth of bacteria.
Spotting
An equally dangerous disease is called fungal spotting, traces of which appear on the leaf blades in the form of yellow-brown spots of small diameter with a purple edging. The causative agents of the disease are destroyed by fungicides and other preparations based on copper. These include Bordeaux liquid and copper sulfate.
Rust
The reason for the formation of rust is a persistent form of fungal plaque, resistant to any chemical attack. The disease is characterized by dark brown pustules. If you do not take any measures promptly, they will gradually cover the entire surface of the leaf blade. Fungal spores accumulate in the pustules. The lesions are removed and burned. Some gardeners mistakenly put the collected greens with compost, which can later provoke the spread of the infection throughout the site. As soon as the first signs of rust become noticeable, the gentian planting site is sprayed with fungicides.
Basal rot
Asian varieties blooming in the fall are susceptible to basal rot disease. The infection starts in damp, humid weather. In the course of the disease, the base of the stem begins to rot in the bush. To protect the seedlings and the root system from excessive condensation, a dense piece of film or glass is placed under the bushes so that excess water flows down to the sides. For prophylactic purposes, dusting of vegetative parts with Tsineb is used. This drug prevents infection.
Pests
In addition to the above diseases, gentian is pursued by thrips, ants, caterpillars, nematodes and slugs.
Slugs
Slugs feed on greenery and flowers of the shrub and thus negatively affect decorativeness. In the wild, plants are rescued by antagonistic animals such as toads and hedgehogs. Of course, such means of struggle do not always inhabit the territory of the garden, so you will have to arm yourself with traps.
Traps are hidden in places of special accumulation of slugs. To do this, you need to take a few potato tubers, cut them and put the halves in jars filled with fermented compost or beer in advance. Insects quickly sense such a bait.
Ants
It is possible to cope with the attacks of ants only by spraying the soil around the bushes with insecticidal preparations. As a rule, they are sold in any specialized pavilion.
Thrips
Thrips are microscopic insectivores that actively reproduce in the summer. These insects suck out cell sap, and colorless dots remain on the eaten places. Thrips are destroyed only by chemical treatment.
Caterpillars
Caterpillars pose a danger to plants in the first year of life. In the fight against caterpillars, insecticidal preparations come to the rescue. Infected areas of gentian are sprayed with the prepared solution, and then the procedure is repeated after 10 days.
Nematodes
As a result of the attack of nematodes, shoots and leaves are deformed, the growth of the plant is delayed, the stems are bent. Treatment of plant mass with specialized chemical compounds helps to stop the reproduction of pests. The result from the drugs becomes noticeable only after repeating the procedure three times.
Types and varieties of gentian with a photo
Annual varieties of gentian are not often found in household plots, which cannot be said about perennials. Individual members of the genus are very popular.Let us consider in more detail the most popular plant species of gentian.
Stemless gentian (Gentiana acaulis)
The second name is the Koch gentian (Ciminalis acaulis = Gentiana excisa = Gentiana kochiana) - a cold-resistant herbaceous perennial plant that grows in the highlands of western European regions. The length of the stems is no more than 10 cm. The shape of the leaves is elongated. Massive flowers, painted in a blue or blue tone, open closer to summer, the heads of the buds look up.
Gourd gentian (Gentiana asclepiadea)
Or vatnik is another perennial, the height of which reaches about 80 cm. The edges of the leaves are pointed, the peduncles grow up to 5 cm. Several buds of a white or blue hue are formed on them.
Dahurian gentian (Gentiana dahurica)
The plant began to spread throughout Mongolia, Tibet and Sayan. The length of the stems does not exceed 40 cm. The leaves are tapering near the base and differ in a linear-lanceolate shape. The leaf blades located on the stem have a short petiolar sheath. Distinguish between blue and yellow gentian. The first varietal species is characterized by large axillary flowers with an intense blue color. As a cultural representative of the flora, it has been grown in gardens since 1815. Flower bouquets of blue gentian look great when cut.
Yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea)
Wild plantings of yellow gentian can be seen in the countries of Asia Minor or Europe, where the plant is considered one of the highest cultivated species. Shoots are capable of reaching a height of one and a half meters. The semi-shrub has a taproot, broad leaves in the lower tier with a petiolate base. The leaf blades that grow out of the stems look much smaller. During flowering, the bushes are abundantly covered with tiny yellow buds. The formation of flowers occurs both in the axils of the leaves and on the crown of the stems. Inflorescences open in July, and flowering continues for two months. Cultivars of gentian yellow are frost-resistant and can hibernate without any protective shelter. They have been breeding this species since 1597.
Large-leaved gentian (Gentiana macrophylla)
Large-leaved gentian grows in China, Mongolia, as well as in remote corners of Siberia. Tall erect stems rise slightly above the surface of the site. Near the base, the branches are covered with a fibrous layer.
Pulmonary gentian (Gentiana pneumonanthe)
The pulmonary gentian is a typical representative of the Gentian family that grows in Asia and Europe, which is distinguished by unbranched smooth stems and lanceolate leaves. The size of the leaf blades is no more than 6 mm, and the height of the stems is up to 65 cm. The bell flowers are painted in a rich blue tone. Inside the bud is a tubular club-shaped corolla.
Gentian septemfida (Gentiana septemfida)
The gentian prefers middle climatic latitudes and is found in Europe, Asia and Russia. Numerous shoots extend from the main trunk, on the surface of which lanceolate leaves are formed. The length of the bluish capitate flowers is about 4 cm.The culture gained fame as early as 1804.
In addition to the aforementioned varieties, other plant forms of gentian should be mentioned: Dinaric, spring, Chinese, large-flowered, ciliate, frosty, pinpoint, tricolor, narrow-leaved and rough. Over the past few years, domestic and foreign breeders have managed to develop resistant hybrid varieties with attractive decorative properties. The most interesting and striking of them are:
- Nikita - a flower with numerous blue flowers
- Bernardi is a late-flowering variety with tubular, azure-colored buds.
- Dark Blue variety - the plant blooms in autumn. At this time, the bushes are decorated with rare purple-violet flowers with petals, lined with stripes inside.
- The blue emperor is a low-growing variety that also has a rich color range of inflorescences reminiscent of indigo color.
- Farorn hybrid - blooms with blue buds with white corollas
- Gloriosa - blue with a snow-white throat - the result of the labors of Swiss breeders
- Elizabeth Brand - stands out for its oblong azure flowers and low brown shoots.
Useful properties of gentian
Medicinal properties of gentian
The gentian is a real storehouse of healing properties. For this reason, the shrub is in great demand both in folk and official medicine. Due to the presence of glycosides in tissues, the culture is famous for its effective pharmacological action. Glycosides stimulate appetite, improve the functioning of the digestive system and suppress spasms.
Along with glycosides, the tissues contain alkaloids. They are able to stop seizures and lower body temperature, so gentian is often used as an anti-inflammatory and sedative. The roots contain resinous and tannin components, oils, pectins, sugars, acids, and inulin. The underground parts of the plant are rich in phenol carboxylic acids, which increase the permeability of the gastrointestinal tract and improve intestinal function.
Gentian preparations are prescribed for diseases of the upper respiratory tract, anemia, diathesis, heartburn, cancers, malaria and chronic forms of hepatitis.
The medicinal properties of gentian are recognized by official medicine. Today, a number of medical institutions produce tinctures and extracts of yellow gentian. Many herbal preparations consist of this raw material. In folk medicine, the herb is successfully used externally and internally.
A decoction of the leaves cures sweating in the legs. Purulent cuts dry out a powder made from chamomile and gentian roots. Herbal compresses from a grated mushy mass relieve pain in muscles and joints. For the preparation of medicinal gruel, vegetative parts and roots are used.
Folk recipes from gentian
Let us dwell in more detail on the most useful recipes that will come to the rescue and will have a beneficial healing effect on the body as a whole.
- To improve appetite. You will need to take 1 tbsp. chopped dried roots and cover them with a glass of water. After boiling, the container with grass is left on the stove for another 10 minutes, then cooled and passed through cheesecloth or a sieve. The strained broth must be taken in 1 tbsp. before meals.
- From the disease of rheumatism and arthritis. For the preparation of the broth 3 tbsp. the dried raw material is diluted in 700 ml of water. The mixture is boiled for 15 minutes and insisted for a couple of hours. Half a glass of the finished broth should be drunk before each meal.
- For the treatment of tuberculosis, malaria, unhealthy digestion, heartburn and constipation. It is recommended to use an alcoholic extract of gentian. 50 g of dry grass is poured with vodka in an amount of 500 ml. It is better to use a bottle for storing tincture with a dark glass, then the fermentation processes will proceed much faster. It is sealed tightly and left in a cool room without access to light for 7 days. Then filter the tincture and drink 30 drops every day.
Contraindications
Gentian preparations can cause allergic reactions in people with individual intolerance to the components. Such plant materials are dangerous for stomach and duodenal ulcers, as well as with increased pressure. Pregnant women should not take such drugs, since the substances in the herb and bitterness can negatively affect the development of the fetus and the general well-being of the mother. For medicinal purposes, it is allowed to drink no more than 35 drops of tincture per day. This rate is quite acceptable for an adult body. In case of an overdose of the drug, a person experiences severe dizziness, headaches, and the face becomes covered with red spots.
