Gentiana saponaria (SOAPWORT GENTIAN)

Soapwort gentian is native to much of the eastern United States, from Canada south to the Gulf Coast and from the Atlantic seaboard as far west as Texas and Oklahoma. It generally grows on sandy soils, but thrives on good, fertile garden soil as well. In it’s native haunts, soapwort gentian can be found in black oak woodlands and savannas, sand prairies, and sandy thickets. It is primarily pollinated by bumblebees and one of October’s great delights is watching the frantic insects force their way into the closed flowers, often disappearing for minutes at a time.

This species is slow to develop from seed, but once established can persist for many years. We are offering vigorous, flowering-size plants.