About

Gentiana pneumonanthe, the marsh gentian, is a British native herbaceous perennial with erect stems to around 40 cm bearing narrow, needle-like leaves and clusters of large, intense-blue, tubular flowers with petals streaked pale on the outside and spotted inside in late summer. A beautiful and increasingly rare wildflower of wet heathland, worth growing in a moist, acid garden border.

About the genus

Gentiana, the gentians, are annuals, biennials and herbaceous or evergreen perennials producing mostly showy, trumpet-, funnel- or salver-shaped flowers, famously in brilliant blue but also in white, yellow and purple. They range from tiny alpine cushion plants to tall border perennials and include species for every season.

Growing conditions

Plant details

Care notes