Gentiana flavida (Cream Gentian)
Gentiana flavida (Cream Gentian)
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$30 minimum per species for seed.
$30 minimum per species for seed.
Each species requires a minimum of $30 of seed to proceed with checkout.
Pure Live Seed
Pure Live Seed
Seed is provided in Pure Live Seed (PLS) unless otherwise stated.
Pure Live Seed (PLS) expresses the viable seed content of a seed lot using its purity and germination or viability test results. It helps you compare seed lots and calculate how much bulk seed is needed to meet a specified PLS planting rate.
PLS weight and bag weight
PLS weight is not the same as the total weight of seed in a bag. For example, a lot with 80% purity and 75% viability contains 60% PLS: 80 × 75 ÷ 100 = 60. Supplying 10 lb PLS from that lot requires about 16.67 lb of bulk seed.
Use the current seed test and the stated basis of the mix specification. Germination calculations may include applicable hard or dormant seed. Seed-count estimates also require the number of seeds per pound; PLS alone does not provide a seed count.
What to check when buying a mix
Check whether each rate is stated in PLS pounds, bulk pounds, or a combination. A mix with both bases should not be described as having an all-PLS total.
PLS does not remove weed seeds or guarantee establishment. Review the seed label and analysis for weed content, and match site preparation, planting conditions and follow-up management to your project.
Sources: USDA NRCS, Understanding Pure Live Seed and The Importance of Seed Quality for Natural Resource Conservation.
Weight Conversions lbs. to oz.
Weight Conversions lbs. to oz.
0.01 pounds = 0.16 ounces
- 0.1 pounds = 1.6 ounces
- 0.25 pounds = 4 ounces
- 0.5 pounds = 8 ounces
- 0.75 pounds = 12 ounces
- 1.00 pounds = 16 ounces
Cream gentian brings its flowering season toward the end of summer. This product retains the familiar name Gentiana flavida in its listing history; the identity used for Flora of the Chicago Region ratings is Gentiana alba.
An upright, stout stem gives the plant a defined form at a reported height of 1–2 feet. The growing guidance identifies full to partial sun and moist-to-average soil. Those conditions are useful starting points when comparing a spot beside prairie plants with one near the edge of a more wooded planting.
The habitat records include mesic black-soil prairie, upland forest margins, sandy oak savanna, limestone glades and rocky bluffs. Consider that range alongside the specific light and moisture of your bed. Its taproot is another reason to settle the placement thoughtfully. For seasonal planning, leave the late-summer flowers visible among neighboring growth and remember that deer can occasionally remove the shoot tops.
Plant specifications
Key growing facts
| Sunlight | Full to partial sun |
|---|---|
| Soil moisture | Moist to average |
| Height | 1-2 ft |
| Bloom season | Late summer |
Show / hide ▾Growing & planting details
| Growth habit | Upright perennial with a stout, unbranched stem |
|---|---|
| Root form | Taproot |
| Deer browsing | White-tailed deer occasionally remove shoot tops. |
Plant identification & seed reference
| Botanical name | Gentiana alba |
|---|---|
| Other common names | yellowish gentian |
| Plant family | Gentianaceae |
Planting, growth & seasonal care
Flowering season: late summer. Use this timing when planning seasonal interest with the other plants in the bed.
Browsing guidance: White-tailed deer occasionally remove shoot tops.
Use the selected product option to confirm the supply format and quantity. For a mixed planting, calculate the order from the actual species and layout; a plant’s mature height alone does not determine a seed rate or plug spacing.
Show / hide ▾Plant communities & associatesNo verified list yet
A species-level list has not yet been verified for this listing.
Show / hide ▾Native range & C-value
State nativity describes a broad range. Use the Chicago-region assessment for local context; a state listing does not establish county nativity.
| Wetland indicator — NWPL 2022 Midwest | FACU |
|---|---|
| C-value — Chicago region, Flora 2017 | 9 |
| Chicago-region native — Flora 2017 | Yes |
| Native range — U.S. states | Arkansas; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Maryland; Michigan; Minnesota; Missouri; Nebraska; Ohio; Oklahoma; Wisconsin |
| County nativity | Not yet verified; occurrence records do not establish nativity. |
Regional assessment notes
This taxon is native to parts of the United States. Flora of the Chicago Region (2017) also records this taxon as native in the Chicago region.
These records describe botanical distribution. They do not establish county occurrence or suitability for every site; an unlisted state is not proof of absence.
Show / hide ▾Pollinators & wildlife
Caterpillars recorded on Gentiana — genus-level evidence
These records concern the plant genus Gentiana, not necessarily Gentiana alba. They do not establish a host relationship for every species in the genus, specialist status, or occurrence at your location. The selected insects are listed as native in the source’s North American study area.
Butterfly: Colias behrii (Sierra Sulphur, Behr's Sulphur, Sierra Green Sulphur).
Macromoth: Apantesis quenseli; Eupithecia subfuscata (Gray Pug, Subfuscate Pug, The Brown-grey Pug); Sympistis kelloggii; Syngrapha ignea (Mountain Beauty Moth).
Micromoth: Endothenia hebesana (Verbena Bud Moth).
Show / hide ▾Frequently asked questions
What are the ideal growing conditions for Cream Gentian?
Light: Full to partial sun. Soil moisture: Moist to average.
Is Cream Gentian deer and herbivore resistant?
White-tailed deer occasionally remove shoot tops. Even plants described as resistant may be browsed. Use physical protection where deer damage is a concern.
When should I expect Cream Gentian to bloom?
Typical flowering period: Late summer. Timing varies with location and weather.
Show / hide ▾Sources & ecological notes
Native range & ecological ratings: Flora of the Chicago Region (2017), via Universal FQA; USACE Chicago FQA (2017); USACE National Wetland Plant List; Kew WCVP / Plants of the World Online.
Growing conditions & other references: Illinois Wildflowers, John Hilty.
Wildlife records: Shropshire & Tallamy: caterpillar hosts (2025).
Native range does not identify the origin of the seed or plants offered. Community and wildlife records apply to the locations and conditions described.
Research notes & credits
USACE/ERDC fqadata — Chicago Region FQA 2017. Herman, B., Sliwinski, R. & Whitaker, S. (2017), Chicago Region FQA Calculator; distributed by USACE/ERDC in fqadata under CC0. Values may differ from Flora of the Chicago Region (2017). CC0 dedication. Retained for comparison; the displayed C-value follows Flora database 80.
U.S. state nativity: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 4 June 2026 release, under Gentiana alba. © The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; CC BY 3.0. Native records selected; introduced, doubtful and extinct records excluded. Kew cannot warrant the quality or accuracy of these data; no endorsement is implied. State nativity is separate from Chicago-region nativity, county occurrence and the origin of nursery stock.
Additional reference: Open Database License 1.0.
Flora rating attribution: Kenneth Johnson (2018), Flora of the Chicago Region UFQA Database, following Gerould Wilhelm and Laura Rericha (2017), Flora of the Chicago Region: A Floristic and Ecological Synthesis. Individual rating facts are presented with original commentary; the calculator’s software license is not treated as a license for the underlying Flora publication.
Data adapted from Shropshire, K.J. & Tallamy, D.W. (2025), Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico, supplementary material 1. This selected and reformatted host dataset is available under the Open Database License 1.0. No endorsement implied.
Genus-level research records
These records concern the plant genus. They do not establish that each insect feeds on this particular plant species.
| Record ID | Scientific insect name | Common name | Source group | Plant genus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 203329 | Colias behrii | Sierra Sulphur, Behr's Sulphur, Sierra Green Sulphur | butterfly | Gentiana |
| 201182 | Apantesis quenseli | macromoth | Gentiana | |
| 205587 | Eupithecia subfuscata | Gray Pug, Subfuscate Pug, The Brown-grey Pug | macromoth | Gentiana |
| 212051 | Sympistis kelloggii | macromoth | Gentiana | |
| 212213 | Syngrapha ignea | Mountain Beauty Moth | macromoth | Gentiana |
| 204639 | Endothenia hebesana | Verbena Bud Moth | micromoth | Gentiana |
Growing guidance: Illinois Extension — Keeping deer out of the yard and garden. Selected facts in original wording. General deer advice is not a species resistance rating.
Plant Shipping & Care
Plant Shipping & Care
We want to ensure that our customers get what they want, a native backyard oasis. To do that, we need to follow a few simple guidelines and give you some information and pointers to make sure you get your plants delivered in a healthy state.
As a reminder, you will receive an email to confirm your pickup or shipping window just before the plants are ready. See Order Fulfillment below for seasonal fulfillment windows.
Choices to Receive Your Plants & Accessories
- Website orders: Seed, plugs and bare-root plants offered for shipping are shipped to your address. Shipping charges are calculated at checkout.
- Container trees and shrubs: Some #3 and #5 container options are offered for scheduled pickup only. Check the selected product option and the cart pickup instructions before ordering. Pickup and shipped items require separate orders where indicated in the cart.
- Wholesale orders: Delivery and pickup are arranged separately according to the order, supplier yard and location. Wholesale pickup is free.
- Pickup locations and dates are confirmed by email. Please wait for confirmation before traveling to a pickup site. Our offices are not retail stores or nursery pickup locations.
Order Fulfilment - When Your Plants or Other Items Will Be Ready
We take orders all year long and seed is shipped all year, but we only provide the plants to you in certain fulfillment windows to ensure healthy plants.
Wholesale Orders
- Shipped or are Ready For Pick Up As Requested.
Retail & Website Orders
- Seed Typically Ships Out Within One Week Of Order All Year Long
- Typically, single species flats ship when ready, sometimes as soon as early to mid-April (depends on weather) through early-October.
- Mixed species kits are batched and shipped as indicated on the product page.
- If a plant order is placed while outside of the plant fulfillment window your plants will be reserved through your payment, however, the order will not be fulfilled and shipped until the following spring. We don't want to provide you plants when they won't be happy during the cold winter months.
- Early in the spring and later in the fall certain species may be dormant or partially dormant with brown leaves, however they will return to grow healthy next growing season.
- Your order may arrive in several different shipments.
- If certain plants within an order will not be available until a later date, we may choose to hold the full order until all are ready. In certain circumstances, we may choose to send them in two separate shipments
- Fulfillment is always dependent upon plant availability. We try our best but sometimes plants do not overwinter well and perish. If a plant is on back order you will receive an email indicating the estimated shipping date. If we can not provide the plant we will first notify you and give you an option of substitution or a refund of that individual species.
- Plants are typically only packaged and shipped on Mondays to ensure they do not sit in the harsh delivery facility for extended periods of time over the weekend. You will receive a confirmation email once your delivery has been shipped and to estimate your delivery date.
- Apparel & accessories are ready typically within one to two weeks. See product page for holiday shipping.
Where We Ship
What to Expect When Receiving Your Delivery
- Your plants will be packaged with the utmost care
- We will need to cut back certain plants prior to shipping. This seems counter-intuitive, however, the fewer leaves the less water the plants can lose during shipping, resulting in healthier plants for you. This also enables the plants to fit within the protective packaging and shipped safely.
Shipments
- Larger plant shipments will look similar to the picture below with a tray of your plants and a cardboard box to protect them during shipping.
What to Do With Your Plants After Receiving Your Delivery
- Unpack your order IMMEDIATELY
- Inspect for damage and report any issues immediately to Natives@NaturalCommunities.net
- Water your plants
- Install your plants as quickly as possible and water the entire garden area thoroughly
- If you cannot install your plants immediately
- Some plants may not be in a container, put them into some kind of a container such as a paper cup with loose soil until installation
- Make sure each plant is receiving the appropriate amount of light.
- Continue to water daily each morning and possibly again in the afternoon
- No additional fertilizer is needed
Seed Shipping & Care
Seed Shipping & Care
There is a minimum order requirement of $30 for each seed species. Seed ships all year and typically ships within a week of an order being placed.
We have attempted to put together some basic information regarding native seed installation, establishment, and maintenance. We hope you find it helpful. If you need further assistance on native seed establishment, please schedule a free consolation call here.
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Whether you're fighting severe erosion, replacing invasive species, designing a pollinator haven, or seeding large acreage, choosing the wrong species wastes time and money. Talk 1-on-1 with a restoration ecologist to map out the exact species, plug counts, or seed mixes for your soil and goals. Book a consultation and get all or a portion credited directly back to your order.