Native Plants

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Cressler, Alan

Gentiana saponaria

Gentiana saponaria L.

Harvestbells, Soapwort Gentian

Gentianaceae (Gentian Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: GESA

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Harvestbells or soapwort gentian, a perennial, grows 8-24 in. tall, having light-green, opposite, lance-shade leaves on slender stems. The blue-violet flowers are bottle-shaped, opening only partly, and occur in terminal or axillary clusters.

From the Image Gallery

19 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 2 feet tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Blue , Purple , Violet
Bloom Time: Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , DC , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MD , MI , MS , NC , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , VA , WV
Native Distribution: S. NY to WI, s. to FL & LA
Native Habitat: Moist depressions; margins of woodland creeks & ponds

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil pH: Acidic (pH<6.8)
Soil Description: Fertile, sandy loam.

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Bumble Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Description: Propagate by division or seed. Scatter seeds on a flat when ripe and cover with a fine mulch. Leaves seedings in the flat until the end of the second growing season. Divide root crowns in fall or early spring and plant 1 ft. apart.
Seed Collection: Cut stems below capsule and tap or shake seeds from it. Store in a sealed, refrigerated container up to four years.
Commercially Avail: yes

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FACW				FACW			FACW	FACW

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Web Reference

Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Gentiana saponaria in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Gentiana saponaria in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Gentiana saponaria

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-13
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back