Gentianella quinquefolia: Country Or Region Of Origin
Canada to Eastern U.S.A.
Plant Profile: Gentianella quinquefolia
Taxonomy: Gentianella quinquefoliaNames
Agueweed, Gall-of-the-earth, Stiff Gentian
Phonetic Spelling:jen-shee-an-EL-luh kwin-kway-FOH-lee-uh
Genus:Gentianella
Species:quinquefolia
Family:Gentianaceae
Stiff Gentian, a wildflower belonging to the Gentianaceae family, thrives in various habitats such as roadsides, wet fields, bogs, and moist woodlands across the mountains of North Carolina. This plant flourishes in full sun to partial shade and can adapt to a range of moisture levels, favoring somewhat poor, clayey, or rocky soils. Its striking lavender flowers bloom in upright clusters from late summer to fall. However, the North Carolina Native Plant Society advises against using this species in residential gardens.
Gentianella quinquefolia Feature Summary
Gentianella quinquefolia Image Gallery
Tags
#showy flowers
#full sun tolerant
#fall flowers
#NC native
#summer flowers
#mountains
#wind dispersed seeds
#native wildflower
#wildflower garden
#water dispersed seeds
#partial shade tolerant
Similar Plants
Gentianella quinquefolia is often confused with:
Gentianella quinquefolia Feature Summary
Attributes
Canada to Eastern U.S.A.
USA: AR , CT , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , SC , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV Canada: ON
Annual
Biennial
Fruit
Capsule divides into 2 parts to release the numerous tiny seeds. These seeds are distributed by wind and water.
Capsule
Flowers
Violet to white, funnel-shaped flowers in multiple tight clusters that are held stiffly upright. Produces dozens of tubular, .5-1 in. flowers with five bristly-tipped lobes August through October.
Purple/Lavender
White
Summer
Fall
4-5 petals/rays
Funnel
Tubular
< 1 inch
Leaves
The leaves are up to 2.5 inches long and half as wide and become smaller as they ascend the stem. They are stalkless (sessile) with smooth hairless surfaces and sharply pointed tips. Color is yellow-green to green to a slight purple tint. Each leaf has 3 parallel veins.
Green
Gold/Yellow
Purple/Lavender
Simple
Opposite
Ovate
Cordate
Entire
1-3 inches
< 1 inch
Stem
The stems are light green to reddish-purple, 4-angular, and slightly winged.
Purple/Lavender
Green
Red/Burgundy
Angular
Whole Plant Traits
Native Plant
Wildflower
Erect
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Dry
12 inches-3 feet
Less than 12 inches
Mountains
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
Clay
Shallow Rocky
Landscape
Native Garden
Gentianella quinquefolia Image Gallery
Gentianella quinquefolia Attributes
Gentianella quinquefolia: Distribution
USA: AR , CT , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , SC , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV Canada: ON
Gentianella quinquefolia: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Gentianella quinquefolia Fruit
Gentianella quinquefolia: Fruit Description
Capsule divides into 2 parts to release the numerous tiny seeds. These seeds are distributed by wind and water.
Gentianella quinquefolia: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Gentianella quinquefolia Flowers
Gentianella quinquefolia: Flower Description
Violet to white, funnel-shaped flowers in multiple tight clusters that are held stiffly upright. Produces dozens of tubular, .5-1 in. flowers with five bristly-tipped lobes August through October.
Gentianella quinquefolia: Flower Color
Purple/Lavender
White
Gentianella quinquefolia: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Gentianella quinquefolia: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Gentianella quinquefolia: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Gentianella quinquefolia: 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
Gentianella quinquefolia: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Gentianella quinquefolia: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Gentianella quinquefolia Leaves
Gentianella quinquefolia: Leaf Description
The leaves are up to 2.5 inches long and half as wide and become smaller as they ascend the stem. They are stalkless (sessile) with smooth hairless surfaces and sharply pointed tips. Color is yellow-green to green to a slight purple tint. Each leaf has 3 parallel veins.
Gentianella quinquefolia: Leaf Color
Gold/Yellow
Green
Purple/Lavender
Gentianella quinquefolia: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Gentianella quinquefolia: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Gentianella quinquefolia: 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
Gentianella quinquefolia: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Gentianella quinquefolia: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Gentianella quinquefolia: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Gentianella quinquefolia: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Gentianella quinquefolia Stem
Gentianella quinquefolia: Stem Description
The stems are light green to reddish-purple, 4-angular, and slightly winged.
Gentianella quinquefolia: Stem Color
Green
Purple/Lavender
Red/Burgundy
Gentianella quinquefolia: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Gentianella quinquefolia: Stem Cross Section
Angular
Oval
Round
Square
Gentianella quinquefolia Whole Plant Traits
Gentianella quinquefolia: 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
Gentianella quinquefolia: 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
Gentianella quinquefolia Cultural Conditions
Gentianella quinquefolia: 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)
Gentianella quinquefolia: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Gentianella quinquefolia: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Gentianella quinquefolia: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Gentianella quinquefolia: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Gentianella quinquefolia: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Gentianella quinquefolia Landscape
Gentianella quinquefolia: 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
