Gentiana membranulifera
Gentiana membranulifera
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
Gentiana species generally grow best when there is ample moisture to the roots in the growing season, but they also require very good drainage[1]. Often being native to mountainous regions, they require a certain minimum of atmospheric humidity; a high light intensity; but also a site where temperatures are not too high in the growing season[2]. They are therefore more difficult to grow in areas with hot summers and in such a region they appreciate some protection from the strongest sunlight[1, 2]. Most species will grow well in the rock garden[1]. Plants are intolerant of root disturbance[1].
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a light position in a cold frame[1]. It can also be sown in late winter or early spring but the seed germinates best if given a period of cold stratification and quickly loses viability when stored, with older seed germinating slowly and erratically[1, 2]. It is advantageous to keep the seed at about 10°c for a few days after sowing, to enable the seed to imbibe moisture[2]. Following this with a period of at least 5 - 6 weeks with temperatures falling to between 0 and -5°c will usually produce reasonable germination[2]. It is best to use clay pots, since plastic ones do not drain so freely and the moister conditions encourage the growth of moss, which will prevent germination of the seed[2]. The seed should be surface-sown, or only covered with a very light dressing of compost. The seed requires dark for germination, so the pots should be covered with something like newspaper or be kept in the dark until germination begins[2]. Pot up the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow on in light shade until ready to plant out Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Gentiana+membranulifera>
Pollinators
Insects
References
- [1]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
- [2]Gentians. — Köhlein. F. · Christopher Helm. London. · 1991 · ISBN 0-88192-192-0 ↩︎A nice readable book, giving details of habitats and cultural needs for many of the members of this genus, with brief notes on other genera in the family.
- [3]The Flora of British India. (in 7 volumes) — Hooker J.D. · L.Reeve & Co.; London · 1872 - 1897 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org ↩︎Rather dated, but has some information on plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
- [4]Ethnobotany of the Himalayas — Kunwar R.M., Sher H. & Bussmann R.W. (Eds) · Springer Nature; Switzerland · 2021 · https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57408-6 · ISBN 978-3-030-57407-9 ↩︎