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Gentiana makinoi Blue Star

Gentiana makinoi Blue Star ®

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Received very healthy plant (13th June 2024). It shows flower-bud already. Highly recommend this shop.

Eliska (Czech Republic), 03/07/2024

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This plant carries a 12 months recovery warranty

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Value-for-money
This gentian blooms for 8 to 12 weeks in summer. It offers lovely flowers that somewhat resemble tulips, in two shades of blue, on a small, bushy, upright, and rounded plant. This beautiful perennial from the Japanese mountains will thrive in full sun or partial shade, in a humus-rich, moist to wet soil, preferably non-limestone. Under these conditions, it is perfect in a rock garden or border, but also in a pretty pot on the terrace.
Flower size
4 cm
Height at maturity
25 cm
Spread at maturity
25 cm
Exposure
Sun, Partial shade
Hardiness
Hardy down to -20°C
Soil moisture
Moist soil, Damp soil
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Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time February to April, September to November
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Flowering time July to September
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Description

Gentiana makinoi 'Blue Star' is a new variety of gentian that stands out for the duration of its flowering: this small plant produces very pretty flowers in summer, for 8 to 12 weeks, similar to thin tulips, in two shades of bright blue. Derived from a Japanese high-altitude species, this hardy perennial is not the easiest to grow in the garden, but it is not short of charm. It will thrive in a cool rockery in the sun, in favourable climates. It also allows for beautiful potted flowers to decorate the terrace or balcony.

The 'Blue Star' Gentian is a horticultural creation derived from Gentiana makinoi, endemic to the high-altitude mountains of Honshu Island in Japan. In nature, it is most often found in cool and humid places. This variety is a natural mutation of the 'Marsha' Gentiana makinoi, discovered in the Netherlands in 2010. It belongs to the Gentianaceae family. It is a perennial herbaceous plant with a thin fibrous rhizome, with relatively slow growth. From spring onwards, it forms a clump of leafy stems about 25 cm (10in) in all directions. The branched stems bear narrowly ovate leaves, 4 cm (2in) long, slightly shiny and leathery, with pointed tips, a somewhat glaucous green colour. From June-July to August-September numerous small flowers, 4.3 cm (2in) long, continuously bloom on short stems, either solitary or in pairs, tubular and erect towards the sky. They bloom in the axils of the leaves or at the end of the stems. They exude a light fragrance that is somewhat reminiscent of cinnamon. Each flower lasts about ten days before wilting. The corolla consists of 5 petals in deep ultramarine blue or light lavender blue, depending on the ripeness of the flower, with both colours coexisting on the plant. This gentian does not produce fruits, which partly explains its floriferous nature. The vegetation disappears in winter.

Like most alpine plants, the Blue Star gentian will be easy to grow as long as the appropriate growing conditions are provided. This mountain plant does not appreciate hot climates or more or less dry, chalky and/or heavy and compact soils. When planted in the ground, it should ideally be placed in a soil rich in compost that remains moist, on a wall, in a rockery, on a slope, at the edge of flowerbeds, or in a trough, in a mountain garden. It prefers acidic rocky spaces that are sunny but not too hot, or semi-shaded, where it can establish deep roots. This Gentian can be associated, in a flowerbed or rockery, with Snowdrops, Botanical Tulips, crocuses, Lewisias, saxifrages, corydalis or heucheras. It can be easily grown in pots, following the same growing conditions.

The term Gentiana refers to Gentius, king of Illyria (present-day Albania) in the 2nd century BC, who, according to Pliny the Elder, discovered the medicinal and healing properties of the yellow Gentian root.

 

Gentiana makinoi Blue Star in pictures

Gentiana makinoi Blue Star (Flowering) Flowering
Gentiana makinoi Blue Star (Plant habit) Plant habit

Flowering

Flower colour blue
Flowering time July to September
Inflorescence Solitary
Flower size 4 cm
Fragrance slightly scented, subtle scent of cinnamon.

Foliage

Foliage persistence Evergreen
Foliage colour dark green

Plant habit

Height at maturity 25 cm
Spread at maturity 25 cm
Growth rate slow

Botanical data

Genus

Gentiana

Species

makinoi

Cultivar

Blue Star ®

Family

Gentianaceae

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference858681

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Planting and care

The Blue Star Gentian should be planted in spring or autumn. At planting, between September and March, it will be necessary to install it in soil enriched with compost, non-limestone gravel, and a humus-rich, acidic medium such as leaf compost. The soil should be loose and well-drained, but moist throughout the year. This plant is perfectly hardy and does not appreciate hot climates and scorching summers; it thrives in regions where summers are cool and wet. In spring a supply of fertiliser in the form of hoof and horn or well-rotted manure will be welcome. It is suitable for a partially shaded or sunny site that is not scorching. In a cold greenhouse, this Gentian should be planted in a 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8in) pot, depending on the size of the plant, and in a mixture of compost and non-calcereous gravel. Repot every year, without disturbing the main root of the plant. Water regularly, preferably with non-calcereous water.

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Planting period

Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time February to April, September to November

Intended location

Suitable for Rockery
Type of use Edge of border, Container, Greenhouse
Hardiness Hardy down to -20°C (USDA zone 6b) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Planting density 7 per m2
Exposure Sun, Partial shade
Soil pH Acidic, Neutral
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light), Stony (poor and well-drained)
Soil moisture Moist soil, Damp soil, loamy, humus-rich

Care

Pruning No pruning necessary
Disease resistance Good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground
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