Collected from seed in Sichuan, China by the noted plantsman Pavel Krivka, Gentiana stipitata is an exquisite alpine gentian treasured for its luminous bloom and authentic wild provenance. In its native haunts, this species inhabits high meadows, rocky slopes, and open alpine pastures, where cool summers and sharp drainage allow it to thrive.
It forms compact rosettes of glossy green leaves, above which rise slender stems topped with striking trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of deep sky-blue to violet, often veined or edged with lighter tones. Blooming in late summer, the blossoms are magnets for bees and butterflies, echoing the plant’s ecological role in its high mountain homeland.
In cultivation, Gentiana stipitata demands a sunny position with evenly moist but sharply drained soil enriched with grit or scree. It is well-suited to troughs, crevice gardens, or carefully prepared rockeries where its delicate charm can be admired up close. Hardy to USDA zone 5 with proper drainage, this gentian rewards attentive care with beautiful light blue blossoms.
Still uncommon in gardens, especially with such traceable wild origin, Gentiana stipitata offers collectors a rare opportunity to grow a genuine alpine gentian directly tied to the mountains of western China.
Collected from seed in Sichuan, China by the noted plantsman Pavel Krivka, Gentiana stipitata is an exquisite alpine gentian treasured for its luminous bloom and authentic wild provenance. In its native haunts, this species inhabits high meadows, rocky slopes, and open alpine pastures, where cool summers and sharp drainage allow it to thrive.
It forms compact rosettes of glossy green leaves, above which rise slender stems topped with striking trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of deep sky-blue to violet, often veined or edged with lighter tones. Blooming in late summer, the blossoms are magnets for bees and butterflies, echoing the plant’s ecological role in its high mountain homeland.
In cultivation, Gentiana stipitata demands a sunny position with evenly moist but sharply drained soil enriched with grit or scree. It is well-suited to troughs, crevice gardens, or carefully prepared rockeries where its delicate charm can be admired up close. Hardy to USDA zone 5 with proper drainage, this gentian rewards attentive care with beautiful light blue blossoms.
Still uncommon in gardens, especially with such traceable wild origin, Gentiana stipitata offers collectors a rare opportunity to grow a genuine alpine gentian directly tied to the mountains of western China.
