• Photo of Gentiana saponaria (Gentiana saponarias)

Plant Profile: Gentiana saponaria

Taxonomy: Gentiana saponaria

Names

Harvest Bells, Soapwort Gentian

  • Photo of Gentiana saponaria (Gentiana saponarias)

Phonetic Spelling:jen-shee-AN-uh sap-oh-NAIR-ee-uh

Genus:Gentiana

Species:saponaria

Family:Gentianaceae

Harvest Bells is a perennial wildflower native to North Carolina, typically found in moist environments such as woodlands, marshes, bogs, stream banks, and along roadsides. This plant thrives in both full and partial sunlight and prefers damp soil, although it can adapt to various soil types, including sandy and fertile loam. It can reach heights of up to 2 feet, featuring unbranched stems.

In September, clusters of vibrant blue to purple flowers emerge above the stemless leaves, enhancing the garden's autumn appeal. In milder regions, blooming may extend into November, while the foliage transitions to a reddish-yellow hue in the fall. Harvest Bells is ideal for use in woodland settings, naturalized areas, or mixed borders.

Gentiana saponaria Feature Summary

Gentiana saponaria Image Gallery

Tags

#hummingbirds
#showy flowers
#fall color
#full sun tolerant
#fall flowers
#purple flowers
#blue flowers
#low maintenance
#moist soil
#NC native
#wind dispersed seeds
#borders
#acidic soil tolerant
#pollinator plant
#native wildflower
#naturalized area
#water dispersed seeds
#food source nectar
#food source pollen
#Coastal FACW
#Piedmont Mountains FACW
#bird friendly
#partial shade tolerant
#bee friendly
#audubon
#woodlands

Similar Plants

Gentiana saponaria is often confused with:

Gentiana saponaria Feature Summary

Attributes
Deer and rabbit resistant
Perennial
Fruit
Capsules split into 2 sections, releasing numerous small seeds that can be dispersed by wind or water.
Flowers
1.5 inch long tubular flowers are blue to lilac, often with vertical streaks of purple, green or white. They consist of 5 upright lobes that are closed or only slightly open at the top. They bloom in clusters from September to November.
Purple/Lavender
Blue
4-5 petals/rays
1-3 inches
Leaves
The shiny green leaves are up to 3.5 inches long and 1.5 inches across. They are stemless with a prominent central vein.
Gold/Yellow
Red/Burgundy
Elliptical
Lanceolate
3-6 inches
1-3 inches
Stem
Light green or reddish stems are slender and smooth.
Green
Red/Burgundy
Smooth (glabrous)
Straight
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Native Plant
Wildflower
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Wet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Pollinator Garden
Cottage Garden
Native Garden
Woodland
Naturalized Area
Pollinators
Songbirds
Bees
Hummingbirds

Gentiana saponaria Attributes

Gentiana saponaria: Country Or Region Of Origin

Eastern U.S.A., NC

Gentiana saponaria: Wildlife Value

Deer and rabbit resistant

Gentiana saponaria: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Gentiana saponaria: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Gentiana saponaria Fruit

Gentiana saponaria: Fruit Description

Capsules split into 2 sections, releasing numerous small seeds that can be dispersed by wind or water.

Gentiana saponaria: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Gentiana saponaria: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Gentiana saponaria Flowers

Gentiana saponaria: Flower Description

1.5 inch long tubular flowers are blue to lilac, often with vertical streaks of purple, green or white. They consist of 5 upright lobes that are closed or only slightly open at the top. They bloom in clusters from September to November.

Gentiana saponaria: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Blue
filter_vintage
Purple/Lavender

Gentiana saponaria: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Gentiana saponaria: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Gentiana saponaria: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Gentiana saponaria: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Gentiana saponaria: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Gentiana saponaria: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Gentiana saponaria Leaves

Gentiana saponaria: Leaf Description

The shiny green leaves are up to 3.5 inches long and 1.5 inches across. They are stemless with a prominent central vein.

Gentiana saponaria: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Gentiana saponaria: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Gentiana saponaria: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color

spa
Gold/Yellow
spa
Red/Burgundy

Gentiana saponaria: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Gentiana saponaria: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Gentiana saponaria: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Gentiana saponaria: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Gentiana saponaria: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Gentiana saponaria: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Gentiana saponaria: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Gentiana saponaria: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Gentiana saponaria Stem

Gentiana saponaria: Stem Description

Light green or reddish stems are slender and smooth.

Gentiana saponaria: Stem Color

grass
Green
grass
Red/Burgundy

Gentiana saponaria: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Gentiana saponaria: Stem Surface

Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)

Gentiana saponaria: Stem Form

Straight
Zig Zags

Gentiana saponaria Whole Plant Traits

Gentiana saponaria: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Gentiana saponaria: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Gentiana saponaria: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Gentiana saponaria: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Gentiana saponaria: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Gentiana saponaria: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Gentiana saponaria Cultural Conditions

Gentiana saponaria: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Gentiana saponaria: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Gentiana saponaria: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Gentiana saponaria: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Gentiana saponaria: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Gentiana saponaria: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Gentiana saponaria Landscape

Gentiana saponaria: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Gentiana saponaria: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Gentiana saponaria: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Gentiana saponaria: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Gentiana saponaria: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees