Gentiana makinoi Blue Star

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.