Gentiana Species, Closed Gentian, Bottle Gentian, Gall Flower, Sampson's Snakeroot

This funky flower has been growing trouble free in my semi-sun Zone 6 bed for many years. The foliage is a nice dark green, and the "bud...Read Mores" (they never open) are plentiful. It's fun to see a bumble bee disappear into a "bud," rummage around inside, then emerge. Check u-tube for videos of bumblebees working it. After the blooms have faded some, they get occasional pin-prick holes in the sides, suggesting a second way of getting into the "buds."

I have just purchased a few of these and intended to pot them up to overwinter indoors or on the deck, but the seller was adamant that th...Read Moreey have to either go straight into the garden or to refrigerate them until I can plant them. I didn't really want to set them in the garden, though, because we may be moving in a few months, in the dead of winter or early spring. So my question is, is there any way I can pot them up to overwinter either indoors, outdoors, or in our enclosed, unheated garage, or must I, indeed, refrigerate them or get them into the garden asap? These are bare root plants. Zone 7b Virginia. Thank you.

I ordered this plant several years ago as Gentiana septemfida but as it grew and began to bloom, I discovered that it was instead andrews...Read Moreii. It seems to be a slow grower as it took about 10 years before it really filled out, but it is now a beautiful, multiple stemmed plant that produces dozens of blooms. I have it planted in my southwest Missouri garden in zone 6b, in light shade in ordinary garden soil under serviceberry, with hostas and violets. It might have been a more aggressive grower in more moist soil. I do try to remember to give it extra water during the hot days of July and August but it is very forgiving and blooms well anyway.

I originally found this plant growing under a grove of pine trees. I dug it up and transplanted it into my sun garden. I was surprized to...Read More see that it came up last yr. I also found some of the white ones growing in some thick brush next to my pond this summer! It appears to be a hardy plant.