''Gentiana asclepiadea'', the willow gentian, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriat ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants t ...

of the genus ''

Gentiana ''Gentiana'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the gentian family (Gentianaceae), the tribe Gentianeae, and the monophyletic subtribe Gentianinae. With about 400 species it is considered a large genus. They are notable for their m ...

'' in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Gentianaceae,

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

to central and eastern Europe from primarily mountain (montane) woodland though it does occur in less wooded open pasture in some areas, perhaps persisting after woodland clearance. One of the larger species within the genus, it produces pairs of leaves, sometimes whorled in threes or fours around particularly vigorous shoots on stems that generally arch elegantly outward from the base of the plant between in length. Trumpet-shaped, deep blue flowers occur in late summer into autumn. Like many members of the genus and indeed the family

Gentianaceae Gentianaceae is a family of flowering plants of 103 genera and about 1600 species. Etymology The family takes its name from the genus ''Gentiana'', named after the Illyrian king Gentius. Distribution Distribution is cosmopolitan. Characteristi ...

, the roots have a close association with certain fungi in a similar way to the

Orchidaceae Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowerin ...

and

Ericaceae The Ericaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the heath or heather family, found most commonly in acidic and infertile growing conditions. The family is large, with c.4250 known species spread across 124 genera, making it th ...

though of course completely unrelated to both of these families. This particular species is relatively easy to grow in most garden situations as long as it has plenty of organic material added to the soil. ''Gentiana asclepiadea'' likes moist, rich, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. The plant can be divided after flowering, however it seldom needs this. Propagate by seed sown as soon as the seed is ripe into a cold frame. If sowing the seed indoors then cold treatment is needed. This plant is susceptible to spider mites, slugs, snails and aphids. ''Gentiana asclepiadea'' has gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nor ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

References

External links

* * asclepiadea Flora of Eastern Europe Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Gentianales-stub