Gentiana 'DIANA ALBA'

Gentian is one of the most beautiful perennials where the most sought-after varieties bear blue flowers. Because their blue is true blue, bluer than the ocean, darker than the summer sky, almost like indigo. The family consists of more than 400 species which often hybridize among themselves and often don’t have a common name. That’s why many (or most) of them are simply called by the season in which they bloom: spring gentian, summer gentian, and autumn gentian. And some of them are not blue.

Diana Alba is an attractive offspring from breeding of a blue summer gentian Diana developed by Vaste Plantenkwekerij de Leeuw Ploegstraat from the Netherlands. It begins to bloom in the second half of July and blooms for a very long time, often until September when autumn gentians take over. Its narrowly tubular to upright campanulate flowers are white with multiple green freckles inside the throat. Careful removing of spent flowers is strongly recommended – first to prevent the plant from producing seeds that is slightly exhausting and new flower buds will form quicker, and secondly to stop moulds inside from withered flower petals during a humid period. It is not uncommon that a few stems with blue flowers appear anywhere within the clump.

It is a low-growing variety that forms dense carpets with small, narrowly ovate, fresh green leaves on mostly upright stems that are about 10 cm long. Diana Alba exhibits a more vigorous growth compared to its blue brother and produces more flowers. In spring cut the entire plant just above the ground level.

If you provide gentian with the same conditions as in the wild, it will grow well without any care. It naturally occurs in moist meadows where its rich blue flowers suddenly turn up from the midst of low grass. Although considered an alpine plant for rockeries, it requires moisture, which is ensured by the surrounding greenery, which protects the soil from drying out with its stems and leaves. But it cannot live in constantly wet ground – it must drain well. It loves full sun where it reliably opens the flowers on a sunny day – it won’t flower in the shade or on cloudy days. Ideal soil pH is neutral and lack of nutrients can be helped by mycorrhiza (soil fungi). Hardy to at least -29 °C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 25-08-2022