Details Top

Internal ID UUID64401db9f41af447172745
Scientific name Gentiana verna
Authority L.
First published in Sp. Pl. : 228 (1753)

Ethnobotanical Use Top

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General Uses Top

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Common products:
- Ornamental alpine plant sold by specialist nurseries, mail‑order catalogs, and botanical garden sales; often offered as potted plants, in rock‑garden mixes, or as part of alpine meadow seed mixes. Occasionally marketed as a selected cultivar (e.g., ‘Spring Blue’) or a proprietary form.
- Propagated commercially by seed sowing in cool, well‑drained compost, usually after a 4–6 week cold stratification; division of mature rosettes is also practiced to maintain clonal uniformity. Seedlings are raised under controlled temperatures before transplanting.
- Featured in horticultural societies (Alpine Garden Society seed exchange) and listed in reference works such as the RHS Plant Finder, indicating a stable market presence.

Properties relevant to use:
- Perennial herb 5–15 cm tall forming a compact rosette; produces vivid blue, five‑lobed flowers in early spring (April–May). Flower color originates from anthocyanin pigments (delphinidin‑3‑O‑glucosides), providing strong visual impact.
- Grows in well‑drained, calcareous or neutral soils with full sun; tolerates cold temperatures, snow cover, and thin substrates. The shallow fibrous root system allows establishment on scree and shallow rock fissures, making it ideal for rock‑garden plantings, scree slopes, and alpine meadow restorations.
- After flowering the rosette persists, offering foliage interest throughout the season; low‑maintenance, requires minimal watering once established, and shows good resistance to common alpine pests and diseases.

Standards and regulation:
- EU sales must carry a plant passport under Regulation (EU) 2016/2031, specifying species name, origin, and phytosanitary status.
- Species listed on national protected‑plant schedules require licensing for wild collection; cultivated material is exempt.
- Cultivar naming follows the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP); nursery catalogs must adhere to this code when naming selected forms.
- Non‑EU imports are subject to national phytosanitary regulations (e.g., USDA Phytosanitary Certificate requirements).

Sustainability and sourcing:
- Native to European mountains (Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathians); several range countries list the species as locally rare or protected in national red‑lists (e.g., Austria, Switzerland, Italy).
- Wild collection is limited or prohibited in many jurisdictions.
- Commercial supply is primarily from certified organic nurseries or controlled seed‑production programmes that ensure traceability and reduce wild‑population pressure.
- Seed banks and ex situ collections further support sustainable use.
- International trade of wild‑collected specimens is not covered by CITES, but traders must comply with national wildlife protection laws.
- Sustainable practice emphasizes propagation from cultivated stock and avoidance of over‑harvesting.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name Authority First published in
Lexipyretum vernum Dulac Fl. Hautes-Pyrénées : 451 (1867)
Ricoila verna Raf. Fl. Tellur. 3: 23 (1837)
Calathiana fenetii (Litard. & Maire) Holub Preslia 70: 101 (1998)
Calathiana magellensis (Ronniger) Holub Preslia 70: 101 (1998)
Calathiana verna (L.) Holub Folia Geobot. Phytotax. 8: 170 (1973)
Calathiana verna subsp. aestiva (Roem. & Schult.) Dostál Folia Mus. Rerum Nat. Bohemiae Occid., Bot. 21: 10 (1984)
Ericala aestiva G.Don Gen. Hist. iv. 190.
Ericala angulosa G.Don Gen. Hist. iv. 191.
Ericala verna Gray Nat. Arr. Brit. Pl. ii. 335.
Ericoila verna Borkh. Arch. Bot. (Leipzig) 1(1): 27 (1796)
Gentiana acutiflora Schult. Syst. Veg., ed. 15 bis 6: 156 (1820)
Gentiana arctica Grossh. Dokl. Akad. Nauk Azerbaidzhansk. S.S.R. 3(1): 32. 1947
Gentiana magellensis (Vaccari ex Ronniger) Tammaro Arch. Bot. Biogeogr. Ital. 62: 54 (1986)
Gentiana sexfida Schult. Syst. Veg., ed. 15 bis 6: 156 (1820)
Gentiana verna subsp. arctica (Grossh.) V.G.Sergienko Fl. Poluostrova Kanin : 85 (1986)
Gentiana verna var. brachyphylloides Pau Actas Mem. Primer Congr. Nat. Esp. Zaragoza 248 1909
Gentiana verna var. cantabrica Romo Lagascalia 15(Extra): 287 (1988)
Gentiana verna var. davidovii Kožuharov & Petrova Fl. Narodna Republ. Bulg. 8: 484, 406. 1982
Gentiana verna var. willkommiana P.Monts. & L.Villar Doc. Phytosoc. 914: 214 (1975)
Gentiana verna subsp. willkommiana (P.Monts. & Villar) Rivas Mart., Báscones, T.E.Díaz, Fern.Gonz. & Loidi Itinera Geobot. 5: 70 (1991):.
Gentianusa verna Pohl Tent. Fl. Bohem. 1: 253 (1809)
Hippion elongatum F.W.Schmidt Arch. Bot. (Leipzig) 1(1): 11 (1796)
Hippion vernum F.W.Schmidt Fl. Boëm. 2: 19 (1793 publ. 1794)
Gentiana verna var. alata Griseb. Gen. Sp. Gent. 263 1839
Blackstonia verna Holub

Common names Top

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Language Common/alternative name
English spring gentian
Spanish gitanilla menuda
Spanish genciana
Spanish gitanilla
Spanish genciana de primavera
Arabic کوشاد ربيعي
Arabic كوشاد ربيعي
Arabic جنطيانا ربيعية
Belarusian Гарычка веснавая
Bulgarian Пролетна тинтява
Bulgarian пролетна тинтява
Bulgarian Пролетната тинтява
Czech hořec jarní
Welsh crwynllys y gwanwyn
German frühlings-enzian
German himmelsstengel
German frühlingsenzian
German herrgottsliechtli
German schusternägelein
German tintabluoma
German schusternagerl
German himmelsbläueli
Finnish kevätkatkero
French gentiane de printemps
French gentiane printanière
Irish ceadharlach bealtaine
Upper Sorbian nalětni hórkowc
Italian genzianella di primavera
Japanese ゲンチアナ・ウェルナ
lld cancuns
Macedonian Пролетна генцијана
Norwegian Bokmål vårsøte
Dutch voorjaarsgentiaan
Dutch lentegentiaan
Polish goryczka wiosenna
Romanian ghințură
Romanian ghințură de primăvară
Russian Горечавка весенняя
Slovak horec jarný
Slovenian spomladanski svišč
Turkish gentiyan
Chinese 春花龍膽

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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Name Authority First published in
Gentiana verna subsp. oschtenica (Kusn.) Halda Acta Mus. Richnov., Sect. Nat. 3: 33 (1995)
Gentiana verna subsp. pontica (Soltok.) Hayek Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 30(2): 419 1930
Gentiana verna subsp. tergestina (Beck) Hayek Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 30(2): 420. 1930 (1930)
Gentiana verna subsp. verna Unknown

Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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Germination/Propagation Top

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Begin at 20°C for 6 weeks, cool to 4°C for 6 weeks, then gradually increase to 10°C over 6 weeks. If no germination, the cycle is repeated.
Germination Improved by GA3: Gibberellic Acid(GA3) is a plant growth hormone that can break dormancy and improve germination rates for seeds that are otherwise difficult to sprout.
avoid pricking out individually, transplant seedlings in clumps

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
  • Asia-temperate
    • Caucasus
      • North Caucasus
      • Transcaucasus
    • Western Asia
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Turkey
  • Europe
    • Eastern Europe
      • Central European Russia
      • East European Russia
      • North European Russia
      • Ukraine
    • Middle Europe
      • Austria
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Germany
      • Poland
      • Switzerland
    • Northern Europe
      • Great Britain
      • Ireland
    • Southeastern Europe
      • Albania
      • Bulgaria
      • Greece
      • Italy
      • Romania
      • Yugoslavia
    • Southwestern Europe
      • France
      • Spain

Links to other databases Top

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Database ID/link to page
World Flora Online wfo-0000698901
USDA Plants GEVE6
Tropicos 13800041
INPN 99953
Flora of Italy 4030
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:369094-1
The Plant List kew-2821774
Plantarium 17379
Open Tree Of Life 346688
Observations.org 149657
NCBI Taxonomy 38855
NBN Atlas NBNSYS0000003967
IPNI 369094-1
iNaturalist 132603
GBIF 3170039
Freebase /m/07w5x1
EPPO GETVE
EOL 487562
USDA GRIN 17433
Wikipedia Gentiana_verna

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

Scientific Literature Top

Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Title Authors Publication Released IDs
Floristic–Vegetational Features of Geranium argenteum, an Alpine–Apennine Species at Its Limit of Distribution in the Apennines Ballelli S, Tesei G, Pennesi R, Allegrezza M Life (Basel) 28-Nov-2023
PMCID:PMC10744573
doi:10.3390/life13122273
PMID:38137874
Edible Flowers Used in Some Countries of the Mediterranean Basin: An Ethnobotanical Overview Motti R, Paura B, Cozzolino A, de Falco B Plants (Basel) 28-Nov-2022
PMCID:PMC9736219
doi:10.3390/plants11233272
PMID:36501312
“I Climbed a Fig Tree, on an Apple Bashing Spree, Only Pears Fell Free”: Economic, Symbolic and Intrinsic Values of Plants Occurring in Slovenian Folk Songs Collected by K. Štrekelj (1895–1912) Fišer Ž Plants (Basel) 07-Feb-2022
PMCID:PMC8838053
doi:10.3390/plants11030458
PMID:35161440
Ethnomedicinal and Ethnobotanical Survey in the Aosta Valley Side of the Gran Paradiso National Park (Western Alps, Italy) Danna C, Poggio L, Smeriglio A, Mariotti M, Cornara L Plants (Basel) 09-Jan-2022
PMCID:PMC8778718
doi:10.3390/plants11020170
PMID:35050058
Pulse grazing by reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) can increase the phylogenetic diversity of vascular plant communities in the Fennoscandian tundra Gibson K, Olofsson J, Mooers AØ, Monroe MJ Ecol Evol 07-Oct-2021
PMCID:PMC8571604
doi:10.1002/ece3.8131
PMID:34765128
An unknown hotspot of plant diversity in the heart of the Central Apennine: flora and vegetation outline of Mt. Pozzoni-St. Rufo valley (Cittareale, Rieti) Lattanzi E, Del Vico E, Tranquilli R, Farris E, Marignani M, Rosati L PhytoKeys 31-May-2021
PMCID:PMC8390790
doi:10.3897/phytokeys.178.62947
PMID:34475797
Synthesis of 4-substituted ethers of benzophenone and their antileishmanial activities Ahad F, Ghouri N, Khan KM, Perveen S, Choudhary MI R Soc Open Sci 16-May-2018
PMCID:PMC5990808
doi:10.1098/rsos.171771
PMID:29892370
Habitat‐related seed germination traits in alpine habitats Tudela‐Isanta M, Fernández‐Pascual E, Wijayasinghe M, Orsenigo S, Rossi G, Pritchard HW, Mondoni A Ecol Evol 24-Nov-2017
PMCID:PMC5756861
doi:10.1002/ece3.3539
PMID:29321859
Between semelparity and iteroparity: Empirical evidence for a continuum of modes of parity Hughes PW Ecol Evol 07-Sep-2017
PMCID:PMC5648687
doi:10.1002/ece3.3341
PMID:29075446
Going deeper in the automated identification of Herbarium specimens Carranza-Rojas J, Goeau H, Bonnet P, Mata-Montero E, Joly A BMC Evol Biol 11-Aug-2017
PMCID:PMC5553807
doi:10.1186/s12862-017-1014-z
PMID:28797242
Natural Products as Alternative Choices for P-Glycoprotein (P-gp) Inhibition Dewanjee S, K. Dua T, Bhattacharjee N, Das A, Gangopadhyay M, Khanra R, Joardar S, Riaz M, De Feo V, Zia-Ul-Haq M Molecules 25-May-2017
PMCID:PMC6152721
doi:10.3390/molecules22060871
PMID:28587082
What flowers do we like? The influence of shape and color on the rating of flower beauty Hůla M, Flegr J PeerJ 07-Jun-2016
PMCID:PMC4906640
doi:10.7717/peerj.2106
PMID:27330863
Changes in composition, ecology and structure of high-mountain vegetation: a re-visitation study over 42 years Evangelista A, Frate L, Carranza ML, Attorre F, Pelino G, Stanisci A AoB Plants 27-Jan-2016
PMCID:PMC4770936
doi:10.1093/aobpla/plw004
PMID:26819258
Epigenetic silencing in transgenic plants Rajeevkumar S, Anunanthini P, Sathishkumar R Front Plant Sci 10-Sep-2015
PMCID:PMC4564723
doi:10.3389/fpls.2015.00693
PMID:26442010
Folkbotanical classification: morphological, ecological and utilitarian characterization of plants in the Napf region, Switzerland Poncet A, Vogl CR, Weckerle CS J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 14-Mar-2015
PMCID:PMC4429483
doi:10.1186/1746-4269-11-13
PMID:25971246

Phytochemical Profile Top

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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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Name PubChem ID Canonical SMILES MW Found in Proof
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Iridoids and derivatives
Loganetin 10466307 Click to see 228.24 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)98016-6
Methyl 1,6-dihydroxy-7-methyl-1,4a,5,6,7,7a-hexahydrocyclopenta[c]pyran-4-carboxylate 12769685 Click to see 228.24 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)98016-6
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene glycosides
methyl (2R,3S,4R)-3-ethenyl-4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-[(2S,3S,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran-5-carboxylate 162938905 Click to see COC(=O)C1=COC(C(C1CCO)C=C)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O 390.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50065A039
Secologanin 161276 Click to see 388.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2006-960905
Secologanol 14488076 Click to see 390.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50065A039
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene glycosides / Iridoid O-glycosides
(-)-Loganin 87691 Click to see 390.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)98016-6
methyl (1S,4aS,6S,7R,7aS)-1-[(2S,3R,4R,5S,6R)-3,4-dihydroxy-5-(3-hydroxybenzoyl)oxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-6-hydroxy-7-methyl-1,4a,5,6,7,7a-hexahydrocyclopenta[c]pyran-4-carboxylate 162913340 Click to see 510.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)98016-6
methyl (1S,4aS,6S,7R,7aS)-1-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-5-acetyloxy-4-hydroxy-3-(3-hydroxybenzoyl)oxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-6-hydroxy-7-methyl-1,4a,5,6,7,7a-hexahydrocyclopenta[c]pyran-4-carboxylate 163195248 Click to see CC1C(CC2C1C(OC=C2C(=O)OC)OC3C(C(C(C(O3)CO)OC(=O)C)O)OC(=O)C4=CC(=CC=C4)O)O 552.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(90)85134-2
methyl (1S,4aS,6S,7R,7aS)-1-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-6-(acetyloxymethyl)-4,5-dihydroxy-3-(3-hydroxybenzoyl)oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-6-hydroxy-7-methyl-1,4a,5,6,7,7a-hexahydrocyclopenta[c]pyran-4-carboxylate 162908312 Click to see 552.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(90)85134-2
Methyl 1-[3,4-dihydroxy-5-(3-hydroxybenzoyl)oxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-6-hydroxy-7-methyl-1,4a,5,6,7,7a-hexahydrocyclopenta[c]pyran-4-carboxylate 162913339 Click to see 510.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)98016-6
Methyl 1-[5-acetyloxy-4-hydroxy-3-(3-hydroxybenzoyl)oxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-6-hydroxy-7-methyl-1,4a,5,6,7,7a-hexahydrocyclopenta[c]pyran-4-carboxylate 14487126 Click to see 552.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(90)85134-2
Methyl 1-[6-(acetyloxymethyl)-4,5-dihydroxy-3-(3-hydroxybenzoyl)oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-6-hydroxy-7-methyl-1,4a,5,6,7,7a-hexahydrocyclopenta[c]pyran-4-carboxylate 14487128 Click to see CC1C(CC2C1C(OC=C2C(=O)OC)OC3C(C(C(C(O3)COC(=O)C)O)O)OC(=O)C4=CC(=CC=C4)O)O 552.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(90)85134-2
Methyl 6-hydroxy-7-methyl-1-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-1,4a,5,6,7,7a-hexahydrocyclopenta[c]pyran-4-carboxylate 601562 Click to see 390.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)98016-6
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds
(-)-Sweroside 161036 Click to see 358.34 unknown https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2006-960905
(3S,4R,4aS)-4-ethenyl-3-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-4,4a,5,6-tetrahydro-3H-pyrano[3,4-c]pyran-8-one 354447 Click to see 358.34 unknown https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2006-960905
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / Phenolic glycosides
[2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-6-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyphenyl]-(3-hydroxyphenyl)methanone 163076314 Click to see 422.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOL.2011.08.007
[2,4-dihydroxy-6-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyphenyl]-(3-hydroxyphenyl)methanone 162864330 Click to see 408.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOL.2011.08.007
Rhodanthenone B 102429099 Click to see 424.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOL.2011.08.007
> Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzopyrans / 1-benzopyrans / Xanthones
2,8-dihydroxy-6-methoxy-1-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyxanthen-9-one 102506431 Click to see 436.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.19740570424
2,8-Dihydroxy-6-methoxy-1-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyxanthen-9-one 162915580 Click to see 436.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.19740570424
Swertianin 5281661 Click to see 274.22 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.19740570424
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid C-glycosides
5,7-Dihydroxy-2-[3-hydroxy-4-[(3,4,5,6-tetrahydroxyoxan-2-yl)methoxy]phenyl]-6-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]chromen-4-one 162969374 Click to see 610.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.19750580117
5,7-dihydroxy-2-[3-hydroxy-4-[[(2R,3S,4S,5R,6R)-3,4,5,6-tetrahydroxyoxan-2-yl]methoxy]phenyl]-6-[(2S,3R,4R,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]chromen-4-one 162969375 Click to see 610.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.19750580117
6-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3-[[(2R,3S,4S,5R,6R)-3,4,5,6-tetrahydroxyoxan-2-yl]methoxy]oxan-2-yl]-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxychromen-4-one 162952090 Click to see 610.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.19750580117
6-[4,5-Dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3-[(3,4,5,6-tetrahydroxyoxan-2-yl)methoxy]oxan-2-yl]-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxychromen-4-one 162952089 Click to see 610.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1002/HLCA.19750580117

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