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Project Noah Nature School
Gentiana verna
A small gentian only a few cm high, with vivid blue flowers in a trumpet-like corolla. Protected in a number of European countries as an endangered species. Flowers late spring to early summer. Spotted 2000 m above sea level.
Sunny alpine meadows and moorland throughout Eurasia from Ireland to Russia. Mountainous regions ranging from the high Atlas of Morocco to the mountains of Turkey, Iraq and Iran.
The flowers are sometimes purple or white. Some flowers in this small group had white streaks.
Spotted on Jun 20, 2011
Submitted on Jun 23, 2011
11 Comments
You are right.. it taste like medicine!! I guess that was the reason to make the schnapps. Gentian root has a long history in the treatment of digestive disorders and is an ingredient of many proprietary medicines.
G'day Chistiane! You're absolutely right, the schnapps is made with the yellow gentian (Gelbe Enzian, Gentiana lutea). It's pretty bitter ;-( The blue one can be used to make a dye.
It is called Enzian in Germany.. ENZIAN SCHNAPPS comes to my mind when I see this plant but I think the Schnapps is made from the roots of the yellow gentian.
Yes... Spotter's observation is most important here for posting...Very few take care of it...!!
Thanks for your comment Ashish. I am glad you liked the info.
Nice info of observation..!!
Thanks for the update LauraMaria!
Yes, got enough of a connection to actually load Project Noah haha! :D At south west coast of England now, went out into the Bay of Biscay for a while, now gonna steam through the English Channel and follow the European coastline up to Skagerrak Strait by the Baltic Sea! Too bad I'll be late for the gentian, although I probably should have paid more attention to the fact it's called a "spring gentian" haha! Silly me :) But yes, there will be other wonderful alpine plants!
Thanks Greeneda!
LauraMaria, you're online! Where is your ship now? End of July you may be too late for the spring gentian but there'll be many more amazing alpine flowers around.
Daniele, these are beautiful! That blue... such an amazing colour. Fabulous close up shots! I'm heading out the Alps at the end of July, if I'm lucky maybe I'll spot some too :)