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Gentiana paradoxa, the Caucasian gentian, is a compact, mat-forming perennial from the western Caucasus, prized for its large blue and white late-summer flowers. The key to growing it is moist but well-drained, lime-free soil in full sun.
Gentiana paradoxa, the Caucasian gentian, is a species of flowering plant in the family Gentianaceae, endemic to the foothills of the Greater Caucasus Mountains in western Asia, near the Black Sea. A compact, mat-forming herbaceous perennial growing to 20 cm (7.9 in) tall and wide, its upright stems of grass-like, linear or lanceolate leaves bear clusters of 5 or 6 large, brilliant blue and white flowers in late summer. It is one of several species of gentians that are valued in cultivation for the unusual bright blue colour of their blooms. However, it is not particularly easy to grow, requiring moist, well-drained, lime-free soil and a position in full sun. It is quite rare in nature.
This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Gentian · Willow Gentian · Bottle gentian · Trumpet Gentian · Gentiana loureiroi · Great Yellow Gentian · Snow gentian · Hungarian Gentian · Crested gentian · Showy Chinese Gentian · Gentian
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Gentiana paradoxa by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
