Content
- 1 Botanical description
- 2 Varieties
- 3 Medicinal properties and contraindications of gentian herb
- 4 Application in landscape design
- 5 Breeding features
- 6 How to grow gentian seedlings from seeds
- 7 Planting and caring for gentian outdoors
- 8 Pests and diseases
- 9 Conclusion
Gentian - herbaceous plants for open ground, which are classified as perennials, as well as shrubs from the Gentian family. The culture received the botanical name Gentiana in honor of the Illyrian ruler Gentius. In Russian, it is called a gentian for its bitter taste.
Blue gentian flowers will decorate the garden
Botanical description
The height of an adult plant varies from 25 cm to 1.5 m. Gentian stems are short: straight or ascending. The green leaves are opposite. In some species, at the root, they are much larger than the stem.
The central root is wide, not long, with numerous lateral thin processes.
After the end of flowering, seeds ripen in a bivalve box.
When and how does gentian bloom
The flowering period of the gentian depends on its variety. Some bloom in the spring, the second - in the summer, and the third - in the autumn.
Flowers, as a rule, are single or few bells with 4-5 reeds. Flower baskets are usually blue, blue or purple. There are specimens with yellow and white flowers.
The flower basket is funnel-shaped or bell-shaped. Individual specimens, spreading the petals, become like small plates.
Gentian flower after opening resembles a bell
Varieties
Science knows about 400 species of gentian that grow in various regions of the planet. In Russia and neighboring states, there are slightly more than 90 varieties of medicinal plants.
Narrow-leaved gentian
An ornamental perennial, the height of the bush of which is about 25 cm. In nature, the narrow-leaved gentian can be found in the foothills of the Alps, in places with clay and calcareous soil. Erect stems of the plant are densely planted with opposite lanceolate smooth leaves. At the top of each stem of the plant, there is one large blue bell. The flowering period of the narrow-leaved gentian falls on the end of spring.
Soil for narrow-leaved gentian is suitable for clayey calcareous
Large-leaved gentian
An ornamental medicinal plant that begins to bloom towards the end of summer. The stems of the large-leaved gentian are erect or slightly drooping, the stem length is about 70 cm.Elongated pointed leaf plates of various sizes are located at the root and in internodes. The length of the basal leaves reaches 35 cm, and the width is 20-30 cm. The leaves located in the internodes of the plant are much smaller.
Flowers - gramophone blue-violet color, with 5 slightly bent petals, collected in inflorescences of 4-5 pcs. They are located at the top of the plant stem.
The large-leaved species was named for its wide leaf plates.
Chinese gentian decorated
An ornamental plant about 15 cm tall. The width of the bush is about 30 cm. The short stems of gentiana are densely covered with opposite narrow pointed leaves. The bright blue buds of the Chinese gentian grow up to 5 cm. This species is characterized by the presence of white stripes on the buds. The plant loves sunlight, but can develop normally in partial shade. Blooms in May-August.
Chinese decorated gentian can be recognized by its white stripes
Gentian large-flowered
A low ornamental medicinal plant, the height of the bush of which is no more than 12 cm. Narrow smooth green leaves are located at the root. Blue bells of flowers are large, up to 5 cm in diameter. The arrangement of flower baskets is single. Blooming blue gentian begins in late spring and lasts about 1 month.
Large-flowered gentian pleases with an abundance of flowers
Bearded gentian
Gentiana grows up to 40 cm. Peduncles are straight, leaves are green, long, oppositely located on the stems. The lower leaves form a lush basal rosette. The bells of the flowers are blue, the corolla is notched.
The bearded gentian was named for the shape of the flower
Gentian tricolor
Moisture-loving species, doing well in swampy and waterlogged areas. The three-flowered gentian can be found in the East Siberian regions, as well as on Sakhalin. Stems are erect, not branched, grow up to 50-70 cm.
The leaf plates of the plant are lanceolate, elongated, form a lush basal rosette at the roots, and oppositely located on the stems. Flowers of a dark blue hue, goblet.
The root is branched, located in the upper layer of the soil.
Three-flowered gentian - medium-sized plant
Seven-part gentian
Low (up to 35 cm), ornamental medicinal plant. A large number of erect or ascending stems form a rosette at the root. The foliage of the plant is intense. The leaf plates are small, elongated, sessile. At the top of the stem, inflorescences of 7-8 blue bell flowers are formed.
Gentiana tolerates subzero temperatures well, for this reason it does not need special shelter from the winter cold. Seven-split gentian has several subspecies.
Seven-part gentian will delight with its beauty for 1.5 months
Lagodekhi
Low-growing plant (about 12 cm). Stems are erect or erect, foliage is intense. Large violet-blue flower corollas form inflorescences.
Gentian lagodekhsaya is one of the few that has a purple hue.
Blue haze
Gentian Blue haze, planting and caring for which is not particularly difficult, is a stunted (about 12 cm) plant with bright blue corollas of flowers that form small inflorescences. Leaves are long, opposite.
Blue haze will look good in a garden bed
Tibetan gentian
Medicinal and ornamental perennial from 22 cm to 62 cm high. The leaves located at the root are wide, smooth, reaching a length of 35 cm. The leaves on the stems of the plant are much smaller. White gramophone flowers are collected in lush inflorescences on the tops of the peduncles.
Tibetan gentian buds are always white
Dinaric gentian
An ornamental medicinal plant related to perennials. The height is 15-20 cm.The width of the bush is about 50 cm. This gentian variety is characterized by short stems on which large (4-4.5 cm) blue bell buds are held. A distinctive feature of the Dinaric gentian is a green spot in the center of the bud.
The flowering period begins in May-June. The seeds of the plant ripen closer to the last month of summer. The gentian herb loves sunny areas, but feels fine in lace shade. The species is characterized as frost-resistant.
You can identify the dinar gentian by the green spot in the middle of the flower
Altai gentian
A perennial undersized plant with a branched creeping root and a large number of stems 5-5.5 cm high. Elongated smooth leaves form a rosette at the root. The flowers are large, blue, located at the top of the stem.
Alpine gentian plantings form a continuous carpet
Pulmonary
An ornamental perennial, the height of which reaches 55 cm. Stems are erect, not branched, densely leafy. Narrow elongated leaves (about 7 cm) of the plant are located oppositely along the entire stem.
The dark blue bells of the flowers are located singly or in pairs at the top of the stem, as well as at the base of the top leaves. The root is short, wide, with few filamentous processes. The flowering period of this species falls on the end of summer.
The inflorescence consists of 1-2 flowers
Stemless
Perennial, low (about 10 cm), herbaceous, medicinal ornamental plant, which is characterized by the complete absence of the stem. Smooth, oval, elongated, slightly bent along the longitudinal line, the leaves surround the peduncles growing from the rosette at the root. The shade of the leaf plates is bright green.
Erect flower baskets of blue or dark blue color are large (5 cm), single. Flowering begins in May or early June.
In nature, the stemless gentian can be found in the foothills or mountains of Western European countries.
It may seem like a stemless gentian grows straight out of the ground.
Daurskaya
Decorative, medium-sized (40 cm) perennial. Stems are erect or erect. Long, smooth leaves grow from the root area. The leaf plates located on the stems are much shorter. Bell-shaped blue flower baskets crown the crown of the stem, and are also located in the axils of the upper leaves.
Daurian gentian will bloom by the end of summer
Yellow
This species is the tallest of all members of the family. Erect stems grow up to 1.5 m. Elongated, green leaf plates are located opposite. They are large at the root, and smaller on the stems. Abundant flowering. Small (3.5 cm) yellow flowers are located in clusters in the upper part of the stem and in the axils located closer to the top of the leaves.
The root is short, wide, with a large number of thin processes.
Yellow gentian blooms in July and August.
The yellow gentian variety is frost-resistant, does not require shelter
Medicinal properties and contraindications of gentian herb
Certain types of gentian herb are characterized as medicinal, which makes it possible to use them in both traditional and alternative medicine. Medicines prepared from different parts of the gentian are used as an antipyretic, sedative, antibacterial, antioxidant, choleretic, and antiparasitic agent.
Some of the substances present in the composition of the plant are characterized as biologically active. They contribute to an increase in blood pressure and an increase in the frequency of contractions of the heart muscle, help to normalize the activity of organs and respiration and the digestive system.
Many specimens, in particular, large-leaved gentian, have both medicinal properties and contraindications.Before taking medications made from gentian herb, you should consult your doctor.
The composition and value of the plant
The healing properties of gentiana are determined by the presence of bitter substances called "glycosides" in the roots, stems, flowers and leaves, which increase appetite and normalize the activity of the digestive organs. Another positive quality of glycosides is that they are able to act as antispasmodics, which makes it possible to use the plant as a pain reliever.
In addition to glycosides, the roots contain alkaloids, aromatic oils, resinous, as well as tannins, vitamin C, inulin and pectins. In addition, the gentian root system contains some sugars.
All parts of the plant are used to make medicines.
What diseases does it help
For the first time, healers of Ancient Egypt began to use gentian to get rid of various ailments. Considering the healing properties of gentian roots, medicines prepared from them were given to people with ailments of the gastrointestinal tract, cramps, wounds and bruises were treated with them. During the Middle Ages, the roots of yellow gentiana were used in the treatment of patients with plague and tuberculosis. Such medicines for fever and intestinal upset helped.
Gentian was widely used as a medicinal herb in the Carpathians. In this area, it was used to treat colds, stomach and lung diseases. In addition, gentian medicine was used as a tonic and anthelmintic agent. It was given to people suffering from heartburn, diarrhea, gout, some types of arthritis, scurvy, hepatitis.
Modern alternative medicine advocates argue that:
- a decoction made from the roots of tricolor gentiana helps to normalize the functioning of the stomach and intestines, increase appetite;
- the leaves of the plant help stop bleeding, as well as heal purulent wounds;
- an infusion of the vegetative parts of gentiana helps to improve the psycho-emotional state, helps to cope with neuroses, is used as an adjunct in the treatment of gastritis and cholecystitis;
- remedies made from the roots of the cruciate gentian are given to people suffering from ailments of the kidneys and genitourinary system;
- pulmonary gentian is used in the treatment of diseases of the digestive system, as well as an anthelmintic drug.
Application in medicine
Gentianin, present in the plant, has antitussive, antibacterial, sedative, and antipyretic properties. This makes it possible to use gentian in medicine as an adjuvant in the treatment of bacterial and viral infections.
In addition, preparations with an extract of this plant are used in medicine:
- to increase the general tone of the body;
- for the treatment of diseases of the stomach, liver and gallbladder;
- to eliminate manifestations of hypotension and bradycardia;
- as an antiparasitic medicine;
- to normalize the stool and get rid of flatulence;
- to get rid of anemia, heartburn and diathesis;
- as an aid in the treatment of tuberculosis infection, malaria and cancer.
Recipes for decoctions, infusions, tinctures
Tinctures or decoctions are made from gentiana.
For the broth:
- 2 tbsp. l. dry leaves or roots are crushed, poured into a glass of water, brought to a boil and kept on fire for 10 minutes;
- the broth is removed and insisted under a tight lid for about an hour;
- the prepared product is filtered through cheesecloth.
The tincture is made in two ways.
On vodka:
- 2 tbsp. l. dried raw materials are poured into 150 ml of wheat vodka;
- leave to infuse for a day in a darkened, ventilated place;
- the ready-made infusion is filtered through cheesecloth, after which it is used in the treatment of diseases.
Wine:
- 2 tbsp. l. dry parts of the plant are poured with 350 ml of wine (preferably red);
- insist 1 month in an unlit ventilated place;
- filter and use as directed.
For decoctions and tinctures, it is better to use dry herb.
Admission rules
Medicines based on gentian should be drunk exclusively as directed by a doctor and strictly in the doses established by him. The maximum daily dose of alcoholic tincture should not exceed 30 drops. In case of an overdose, side effects may occur - skin redness, headaches and dizziness.
Contraindications to taking gentian
Despite its positive properties, gentian herb, like all medicinal plants, has contraindications:
- medications, which contain an extract of this plant, doctors categorically advise against taking patients with hypertension and tachycardia;
- refusal to take such funds should be with the development of gallstone disease, gentiana has a choleretic property, which can provoke the release of small stones and their stuck in the ducts;
- be careful with such drugs in the presence of a stomach ulcer or duodenal ulcer.
Application in landscape design
The decorativeness of the plant makes it possible to use it to decorate garden plots. The gentian, as seen in the photo of flowers in the flowerbed, looks good in group and single plantings. When decorating mono-flower beds, tall flowers (gorse and yellow gentian) are placed in the center, and undersized ones - along the edges. Other medicinal herbs - elecampane, sage, chamomile, lemon balm - will become good neighbors in common plantings for gentiana.
Dinaric, alpine, and cruciform gentian are good to use when decorating borders and alpine slides.
The stemless gentian and other undersized species will look good on flower beds and rocky hills next to primroses, saxifrage and other low flowering plants.
Alternatively, low species can be placed in flowerpots and hanging pots for decorating terraces and gazebos.
The flower looks good in collective plantings
Breeding features
The gentian is a wild plant, but it is also grown in private garden plots.
There are 2 methods of plant propagation: seed and vegetative (cuttings, layering or dividing the bush into daughter rosettes).
Seeds are sown directly into unprotected soil (in spring or autumn) or in special containers for seedlings (end of February or March).
Dividing a bush is not a suitable method for every gentian type. Certain varieties of this plant are painful even for ordinary transplantation. Therefore, it is better to use daughter sockets for reproduction. To obtain them in the fall, the root zone is covered with an additional layer of soil and mulch, and with the arrival of spring, a part of the bush along with a lump of soil is cut off with a sharp shovel and transferred to another place.
Early flowering gentian is propagated by cuttings. To do this, before flowering, several cuttings of the plant (20 cm) are harvested and planted in moist fertile soil.
For layering, one of the stems of the plant is bent to the ground and instilled. Subject to the rules of care and proper watering, by September the cuttings will take root, after which it can be transplanted.
Cuttings will take root in 1 month
How to grow gentian seedlings from seeds
Before sowing the gentian, the seeds are stratified, that is, they are kept in a cold room with good ventilation for 2 months.
After that, the seed is planted in a special container, deepening by about 1 cm.
Seedling soil can be purchased at a specialized trade enterprise or prepared independently by combining 3 parts of peat and garden soil with 1 part of river sand.
The container is covered with foil to create a greenhouse effect. With the emergence of seedlings, the shelter is removed.
A container with planting material is placed in a lighted place.
Planting and caring for gentian outdoors
The algorithm for planting seedlings in open soil and the subsequent care of plants is almost the same as for other flowering plants. However, there are some nuances.
Recommended timing
Seedlings are planted in unprotected soil when the ground warms up to 10 ° C. It's April or May.
Selection and preparation of soil
The soil for growing gentian is selected similar to that in which it feels good in the wild. So, for example, calcareous soil is more suitable for Dinaric gentian, slightly acidic stony soil for stemless gentian, and simply acidic for decorated Chinese.
The site chosen for planting is freed from weeds, dug up and fertilized.
Some varieties like lit places.
Landing algorithm
In the process of planting seedlings:
- make holes of such a size that a seedling with a lump of root earth can freely fit in them;
- place seedlings in the center of the hole and cover with earth;
- the plants are watered, the soil in the root zone is mulched.
Watering and feeding
The plant loves moisture, for this reason, it will need regular watering. This is especially important during the dry season. To better retain moisture, the ground in the root zone is covered with mulch.
If the gentian grows in fertile soil, there is no particular need for feeding. It will be enough to add peat and a small amount of organic matter to the soil in the spring.
A gentian growing in a not particularly fertile area is fed with mineral complex fertilizers
Weeding and loosening
It is recommended to loosen the land in the area of planting gentian after each watering. Weeds are removed as they emerge.
Preparing for winter
Gentiana is a frost-resistant plant, for this reason it does not need special shelter from the winter cold. Towards the end of autumn, the ground parts of the gentian are removed, and the roots are covered with fallen leaves.
Pests and diseases
The plant is resistant to many diseases typical of herbaceous perennials. However, high humidity (rainy season) and insufficient ventilation (growing in a winter garden or greenhouse) can cause the development of fungal diseases:
- Rot is gray. The main symptom of the disease is the appearance of gray or brown spots on the vegetative parts of the plant. It is impossible to cure gray rot, so the affected plants are simply removed, and the remaining plants are sprayed with fungicidal preparations to prevent infection.
Gray rot affects leaves and flowers
- Rust. This disease is characterized by the appearance of yellow-brown spots on the vegetative parts of the plant. At an early stage of the disease, the affected parts of the plant are removed and burned, and the rest are treated with Bordeaux mixture.
Ignoring the first symptoms of rust can cause the death of the plant.
Attracts gentian and pests:
- Slugs. These pests do not mind eating gentian flowers and leaves. In the process of pest control, special traps are used or collected by hand.
Slugs eat only the vegetative parts of the plant.
- Ants. They do not cause much harm to the plant, however, the decorativeness of the gentian suffers from their presence. To destroy red ants, you can use folk remedies - garlic juice, birch tar, hot water.
It is better to use insecticides to kill ants.
- Thrips. The presence of insects can be identified by the appearance of discolored areas on the green parts of the plant. It will be possible to cope with pests by treating the gentian with insecticides.
Thrips feed on leaf juice
Conclusion
Gentian - herbaceous plants for open ground, which have earned the love of gardeners for their decorative and healing properties. The variety of plant species makes it possible to choose a flower to your liking, and the ease of care allows you to easily grow it on your site.
