We have recently published ‘Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions’: i.e. tropical and sub-tropical regions. We rely on regular donations to keep our free database going and help fund development of this and another book we are planning on food forest plants for Mediterranean climates. Please give what you can to keep PFAF properly funded. More >>>

Follow Us:

 

Gentiana macrophylla - Pall.

Common Name Qin Jiao
Family Gentianaceae
USDA hardiness 5-9
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Steppes and glades in light woods[74]. Stream and river banks, roadsides, grassland slopes, wet meadows, forest margins, forests at elevations of 400 - 2400 metres[266]..
Range E. Asia - China, Siberia.
Edibility Rating    (1 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (3 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Gentiana macrophylla Qin Jiao


http://www.flickr.com/photos/73879350@N00/2642828895/page2/
Gentiana macrophylla Qin Jiao

 

Translate this page:

Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Gentiana macrophylla is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.6 m (2ft in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in flower from August to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bumblebees, butterflies.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves
Edible Uses:

Leaves - cooked[177]. An emergency food, used when all else fails.

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Analgesic  Antiinflammatory  Antipyretic  Antirheumatic  Hypotensive

Qin Jiao has been used in Chinese herbalism for over 2,000 years and, like other members of this genus, the roots contain some of the most bitter compounds known and make an excellent tonic for the whole digestive system, working especially on the stomach, liver and gall bladder[238, 254]. The root is analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antirheumatic, diuretic, febrifuge, hypoglycaemic and hypotensive[176, 218, 238]. The root is used internally in the treatment of digestive problems, arthritis, allergic inflammations, low-grade fever in chronic diseases, jaundice and hepatitis[176, 218, 238, 254]. The root is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use.

References   More on Medicinal Uses

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Tropical Plants

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Temperate Plants

Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital media.
More Books

PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital formats. Browse the shop for more information.

Shop Now

Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

In general, gentians require a moist well-drained soil in a sheltered position, a certain minimum of atmospheric humidity, high light intensity but a site where temperatures are not too high[239]. They are therefore more difficult to grow in areas with hot summers and in such a region they appreciate some protection from the strongest sunlight[200, 239]. Most species will grow well in the rock garden[200]. This species requires a moist well-drained neutral to acid soil in a sheltered position[200, 238]. It prefers full sun but succeeds in partial shade[111]. Plants are hardy to at least -15°c[238]. A moisture loving plant, preferring to grow with full exposure to the sun but with plenty of underground moisture in the summer, it grows better in the north and west of Britain[1]. Plants are intolerant of root disturbance[200].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

image

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

Shop Now

Plant Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a light position in a cold frame[200]. It can also be sown in late winter or early spring but the seed germinates best if given a period of cold stratification and quickly loses viability when stored, with older seed germinating slowly and erratically[200, 239]. It is advantageous to keep the seed at about 10°c for a few days after sowing, to enable the seed to imbibe moisture[239]. Following this with a period of at least 5 - 6 weeks with temperatures falling to between 0 and -5°c will usually produce reasonable germination[239]. It is best to use clay pots, since plastic ones do not drain so freely and the moister conditions encourage the growth of moss, which will prevent germination of the seed[239]. The seed should be surface-sown, or only covered with a very light dressing of compost. The seed requires dark for germination, so the pots should be covered with something like newspaper or be kept in the dark[239]. Pot up the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow on in light shade in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. The seedlings grow on very slowly, taking 2 - 7 years to reach flowering size[239]. When the plants are of sufficient size, place them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Division in March[111]. Most members of this genus have either a single tap-root, or a compact root system united in a single root head, and are thus unsuitable for division[239]. Cuttings of basal shoots in late spring[238].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Russian Federation (Buryatia, Gorno-Altay, Tyva, Respublika, Yakutia-Sakha, Altay, Krasnoyarsk, Chita, Irkutsk, Kemerovskaja oblast, Novosibirsk, Tomsk), Kazakhstan, Mongolia (north), Russian Federation (Primorye, Amur), China (Hebei Sheng, Nei Mongol Zizhiqu, Ningxia Huizi Zizhiqu, Shaanxi Sheng, Shandong Sheng, Shanxi Sheng)

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Blackstonia perfoliataYellow WortAnnual0.5 -  LMNDM001
Centaurium erythraeaCentaury - Feverwort, European centauryAnnual/Biennial0.3 0-0  LMSNDM131
Centaurium spicatumSpiked centauryAnnual/Biennial0.6 0-0  LMSNDM01 
Fagraea fragransIronwood, TembusuTree25.0 10-12 SLMHNMWe024
Frasera caroliniensisAmerican ColumboPerennial2.5 0-0  LMSNM02 
Frasera speciosaGreen Gentian, ElkweedBiennial/Perennial1.5 3-7  LMSNM121
Gentiana acaulisGentianPerennial0.1 3-7 SLMHSNM03 
Gentiana andrewsiiClosed Bottle Gentian, Dakota gentianPerennial0.6 5-9  LMHSNM03 
Gentiana crassicaulis Perennial0.4 7-10  LMHSNM03 
Gentiana cruciata Perennial0.4 -  LMHSNM12 
Gentiana dahurica Perennial0.3 4-8  LMHSNM03 
Gentiana decumbens Perennial0.3 4-8  LMHSNM01 
Gentiana kurroo Perennial0.2 6-9  LMHSNM03 
Gentiana luteaYellow GentianPerennial1.2 4-8  LMHSNM15 
Gentiana manshurica Perennial0.3 -  LMHSNM03 
Gentiana pannonica Perennial0.6 4-8  LMHSNM13 
Gentiana pneumonantheMarsh GentianPerennial0.3 -  LMHSNM022
Gentiana puberulentaDowny gentianPerennial0.4 5-9  LMHSNM03 
Gentiana punctataSpotted GentianPerennial0.6 4-8  LMHSNM13 
Gentiana purpurea Perennial0.6 4-8  LMHSNM13 
Gentiana saponariaHarvestbellsPerennial0.8 4-8  LMHSNMWe03 
Gentiana scabraLong Dan CaoPerennial0.3 4-8  LMHSNM13 
Gentiana scabra buergeri Perennial0.5 4-8  LMHSNM13 
Gentiana straminea Perennial0.3 4-8  LMHSNM03 
Gentiana thunbergii Annual/Biennial0.2 -  LMHSNM12 
Gentiana triflora Perennial0.5 4-8  LMHSNM02 
Gentiana tubiflora Perennial0.1 5-9  LMHSNM02 
Gentianella amarellaFelwort, Autumn dwarf gentianBiennial0.3 0-0  LMHSNM03 
Gentianella diemensis Annual/Perennial0.3 -  LMHSNM01 
12

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

Pall.

Botanical References

74266

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Pamela Joy   Sun Nov 18 2007

Hi , Years ago I had shingles and I was given a Gentiana formula and it cleared the shingles up quickly without any left over nerve pain. Is this formula possibly the one I took for this. I have a friend with shingles his is on his arm and shoulder mine was from the midline of the front of my trunk to the midline of the back of my trunk. PJ

Add a comment

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.

Subject : Gentiana macrophylla  
© 2010, Plants For A Future. Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567.