Gentiana cachemirica

As it happens, species that flower successively over a long period of time will often have the first seeds ‘ready’ while still in bloom. Last evening, ahead of another front of thundershowers, I had a look around the garden and, you don’t say, I found the first seed capsules of Gentiana cachemirica!

Not often cultivated and often misnamed in the trade, this is an alpine gentian endemic from Pakistan and Kashmir (hence the proclaimed common name of Kashmir gentian).  Let’s see it again:

Gentiana cachemirica

It flowers in late summer, starting in late July-August (don’t believe the ones saying it’s a spring flowering gentian), it has a decumbent habit (best to have it flowing over a wall or on the rockery slope, if possible) and enjoys a part shaded position. It grows from thickened rhizomes and it is long lived after established.

There are other plants flowering in the garden, of course, most notably Clematis heracleifolia ‘China Purple’, a gentle reminder of the slide towards late August //:-o

Clematis heracleifolia ‘China Purple’