King’s Scepter Gentian (Gentiana sceptrum)

King's scepter gentian is a stunning perennial with intensely purple-blue flowers, that thrives in full sun and consistently moist soil. It blooms in late summer, and is pollinated almost exclusively by bumblebees, who must pry their way into the flower to access this important late-season food source.

Sun Exposure: Full sun
Soil & Moisture: Moist to seasonally wet soil
Mature Size: 1'-3' tall
Bloom Time: Mid to late summer
Edible: no
Wildlife Value: Crucial late-season food source for bumblebees.
Native Range & Habitat: Wet to moist meadows, bogs, and lake margins at low to high elevations. Uncommon. Native to the west coast of North America from southern British Columbia to northern California.
Other Names: King's gentian