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Stiff Gentian
Gentianella quinquefolia

a.k.a. Agueweed

Stiff Gentian tolerates a wide range of habitat types, from wet prairies to dry, rocky, or sandy sites. It is a biennial but self-seeds. It provides important late-season nectar and pollen for bumblebees.

USDA symbol: GEQU2

General Information

Plant TypeForb
Height1 to 2 feet
Light ExposureSun
Soil MoistureMedium
Bloom ColorBlue
Stiff Gentian (Stiff Gentian<div><em class="small">Gentianella quinquefolia</em></div>)
Photo credit: United States Department of Agriculture (Click to enlarge)

Tolerances

Flooding / Inundation ToleranceModerate
General Resilience5
Salt ToleranceUnknown
Stress ToleranceAlkaline Conditions, General Disturbance

Pollinator Value: High

Bloom MonthsSeptember to October

Project Planning

Project TypeRestoration
Coefficient of Conservatism5
Herbivore SensitivityLow
LifespanPerennial
Rate of SpreadSlow
Soil StabilizationDeep

Range

CountyDodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Wabasha, Washington, Winona
EcoregionDriftless Area, North Central Hardwood Forests, Northern Lakes and Forests, Western Cornbelt Plains
Approximate Eco ProvinceEastern Broadleaf Forest, Laurentian Mixed Forest, Prairie Parkland