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Gentiana septemfida is a herbaceous plant from the Gentian family. Distributed throughout the globe, it can be especially often seen in the highlands, in alpine and subalpine meadows. In Russia, the perennial grows in the Caucasus, the Baltic states, and the Central regions. Prefers rocky slopes, screes, edges and clearings. Sometimes found in the depths of forests. Thanks to the fragile beauty of its large flowers, Gentian seven-partite is very popular among gardeners. And as a healing raw material, it is widely used in the recipes of traditional healers.
Description of the species
Gentian seven-partite is a perennial plant that grows in height from 10 to 50 cm. It is distinguished by a thick, fleshy rhizome with roots extending from it that look like thin ropes.Many glossy stems emerge from one root, growing straight or with a noticeable bend. The color is reddish-brown. The lower part of the plant has large brown scales; from the middle to the top, bright green leaves extend from the stems, shaped like an arrowhead or lancet. They are located in pairs. The stems are highly branched, with flower buds growing at the very tops.
The flowers of the plant are large and resemble bells in appearance. In a green cup with jagged petals, a corolla with ovoid blades, smoothly rounded downwards, opens. Depending on the variety, the color can be bright blue, purple, blue with white spots, or sky blue. The inner part of the corolla can have a greenish, yellowish, cream, brown-red, spotted color, as well as a harmonious combination of different shades. The plant blooms from mid-summer to autumn.
One of the features of the plant's flowers is the fringed folds between the long petals.
Popular varieties
Breeders have developed many decorative varieties of Gentian seven-parted. The most popular varieties of plants serve as worthy decorations for personal plots and excellent components of landscape compositions.
Gentian seven-parted Var Lagodekhi
Gentian seven-parted Lagodekhi has dark blue, bell-shaped flowers with a white throat. There are 5 petal lobes, sometimes 7. The stems of the plant fall under their own weight, grow up to 30 cm in length, and the tops stretch upward, creating a fancy green-blue carpet.Gentian seven-part Var Lagodehiana blooms in late summer, loves sunny places and well-drained soils. Sensitive to drought. The plant can withstand frosts down to -30 degrees.
In the depths of the flower corollas, white-spotted elongated stripes are clearly visible
Gentian seven-fibre Christie
The plant variety is low-growing, the length of the shoots reaches 25 cm. The stems are semi-recumbent, with rising tops and short, numerous lateral shoots. Blooms profusely from early to mid summer. The flowers are dark blue and purple. Grows well in shaded areas, under tree canopies. It is recommended to plant on clay and rocky, well-fertilized and drained soils. Gentian seven-partite "Christie" perfectly withstands frosty winters.
Gentian seven-parted Christie is propagated by seeds and by dividing the bush
Application in landscape design
Gentian sevenpartite is loved by flower growers for its unpretentiousness and abundant flowering for 1.5-2 months. Its flowers fascinate with their heavenly beauty. Gentian bushes resemble a luxurious green carpet, onto which blue or blue stars were scattered with a generous hand.
The perennial is used to decorate borders and rocky areas. Gentian seven-partite looks ideal in the foreground with any tall plants, shrubs and dwarf conifers. Feels great under deciduous trees, in parks and gardens. Gentian seven-partite is also good as a mono-composition, for flower beds and retaining walls.
Gentian seven-parted is magnificent on alpine hills, in combination with low-growing mosses and wild stones
Features of reproduction
Gentian seven-partite reproduces in several ways:
- seeds purchased in specialized stores or collected at the end of flowering (if it is not a hybrid);
- by cutting vegetative shoots, which must be broken off along with the heel.
Important! You should not try to propagate the plant by dividing the bush. Unlike other species, gentian seven-partite does not tolerate damage to the root collar.
Planting and caring for seven-partite gentian
Gentian seven-parted, despite its delicately sublime appearance, is completely undemanding in terms of keeping conditions. She loves partial shade and well-moistened, fertile soils. The plant perfectly tolerates northern winters, especially with sufficiently abundant snow cover.
Landing dates and rules
It is better to plant the plant with seeds before winter, in the autumn. Gentian seven-partite does not have any special requirements for the composition of the soil, provided they are nutritious. Therefore, you can simply mix garden soil with well-rotted manure, compost and medium-sized stones - pebbles or crushed stone. The bed should be prepared in advance by digging it with natural fertilizers - ash, humus, peat. On clay soils, provide drainage from pebbles, broken bricks, at least 10 cm thick. It is recommended to add compositions of large and small stones - gentian seven-partite grows in nature on rocky slopes.
Place the plant seed material on the surface maintaining a distance of 20-30 cm, sprinkle with a layer of sand, turf soil or soil mixture, no more than 0.5-1 cm thick.Under the snow, the seeds of Gentian seven-parted winter well, and in the spring they delight with friendly shoots.
If it was not possible to plant a plant in the fall, you can scatter the seeds in a wide, shallow bowl with moistened sand and place it in the refrigerator or any room at 2 to 5 degrees. In February, raise the temperature to 10 for two weeks. Then cool it down again. Sow in the ground in April, when the snow melts.
Treat the cuttings with Kornevin, place in fertile soil, and cover with glass or film. Moisturize as needed. Within two weeks, the gentian seven-part should take root, after which it can be planted. It is better to propagate in this way in April or early autumn, when the summer heat has subsided, but there is enough time left for the young plants to get stronger.
Watering and fertilizing schedule
Gentian seven-partite responds well to timely watering. It is moisture-loving, ideally it is better to plant it next to streams or decorative ponds, to provide constant drip or automatic moisture. Depending on weather conditions, it needs to be watered 2-3 times a week. If there is a drought, then every day. In rainy summers, additional watering is not required.
Gentian does not require additional fertilizing with fertilizers. When planting, you can add bone or horn meal to each hole. The source of essential nutrients is mulch made from peat, rotted sawdust, compost, and cut grass.
Weeding and loosening
After each watering of the plants, the soil surface must be loosened to a shallow depth, while removing the roots of perennial weeds and emerging sprouts. When finished, add sand or organic mulch.
Preparing for winter
Gentian seven-partite is a very hardy, winter-hardy crop. Both in central Russia and in Siberia, the plant overwinters without additional shelter. The exception is high beds and slides that are not covered with a thick layer of snow. It is better to wrap such compositions with spruce branches, covering material or straw.
Diseases and pests
The main diseases of gentian sevenfidus are:
- gray rot;
- rust and leaf spot;
- viral infections.
If infected with fungi, the diseased parts of the plant must be urgently removed and treated with a fungicide. Viral diseases cannot be cured. Therefore, diseased bushes should be immediately dug up and burned to avoid the spread of the disease.
Pests of gentian sevenpartite are:
- snails and slugs;
- aphids, ants;
- thrips, nematodes.
They fight insect infestations using mechanical (traps and manual collection) and chemical means.
Useful properties of the plant
Gentian seven-partite, in addition to its undoubted decorative advantages, has the most valuable medicinal properties. Since ancient times, rhizomes and aerial parts of the plant have been used as pharmacological raw materials. They contain:
- flavonoids and alkaloids,
- phenolcarboxylic acids;
- vitamin C;
- sugar, gentiobiosis and gentianosis.
Due to its chemical composition, gentian has the following effects on the human body:
- vasodilator and blood pressure reducer;
- sokogonnoe and anticoagulant;
- hemostatic and antibacterial.
Beautiful “star” flowers can cure some ailments
Use in folk medicine
In the recipes of healers from ancient times to the present day, gentian seven-partite is used to treat the following diseases:
- gastritis with decreased secretion;
- high blood pressure;
- decreased appetite, gastric and intestinal inflammation;
- malaria and plague;
- convulsions, snake and insect bites;
- tuberculosis, fever, constipation and diarrhea;
- helminthic infestation;
- dysfunction of the liver and gallbladder;
- sexual disorders;
- cough, scurvy, gout;
- allergic skin rash.
A decoction of gentian seven-fidus is considered an excellent general tonic, especially for anemia.
Restrictions and contraindications
The use of gentian seven-fibre has contraindications:
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- the appearance of an allergic reaction and intolerance to individual components in the composition of medicinal raw materials;
- stomach or duodenal ulcer;
- gastritis in the acute stage.
Consumption of the plant in violation of the dosage can lead to increased blood pressure, dizziness, and nervous excitability.
Conclusion
Gentian seven-partite is the star queen of the garden. Beautiful flowers of all shades of blue and blue serve as a true decoration of the landscape. The herbaceous perennial is undemanding to care, frost-resistant and thrives on rocky soils. In addition, the plant can be used as a medicine for a number of different diseases.
