Bitter Root

Description:

I spotted this plant in our botanical garden, not in it's natural habitat! It's a perennial, herbaceous plant, reaching a height between 50 - 150 cm. Gentiana lutea grows very slowly and it often takes about 10 years before the first flowering, which takes place in the time from June to August. Individuals can reach an age of 40 to 60 years. The leaves are arranged in a decussate pattern. Seeds are wind-dispersed.

Habitat:

Natural habitat are the alps and other mountain ranges in central and southern Europe. It prefers calcareous soils in altitudes up to 2500 m above sea level.

Notes:

There are several pharmaceutical uses for the roots of this plant, e.g. antipyretic agent or appetite enhancer. Gentiana lutea is a protected species!