Wild Flowers: Mountain Gentian
Wild Flowers: Mountain Gentian
Mountain Gentian
During the summer of 2008, I had the opportunity to do high elevation trail maintenance in Colorado. I was enthralled by the wildflowers. I thought I would highlight some of my favorites, one at a time, so that you could learn a bit about each one. The information comes from both my experiences and the book “Guide to Colorado Wildflowers” by G.K. Guennel. I really found this book helpful in unmasking the identities of these beautiful flowers. I took the pictures; they don’t do the flowers justice. If you think my picture is good, go out and see them in person, it’s a hundred times better. Happy Trails!
Mountain Gentian, also known as Blue Gentian, Pleated Gentian, Parry Gentian, Bottle Gentian, and Puff Gentian, is one member of the…you guessed it, the Gentian Family.
The Mountain Gentian’s flowers are barrel-shaped, to 2” long. The flowers have 5 petals fused together which make up the “barrel” or “bottle,” which splits into 5 pointed, reflexed lobes and 5 smaller lobes or “pleats.” Color can vary from azure blue to purple.
To find the Mountain Gentian, look in the Montane and Subalpine zones in Colorado. The Montane Zone starts at 8,000 feet and the Subalpine Zone tops out at 11,500 feet . They prefer moist meadows, stream banks, bogs, willow thickets and forest borders.
The best time of year to see these in Colorado’s high country is July through September. So pick a hike, mark your calendar and keep your eyes open. They are a subtle but beautiful flower.
