Gentianella campestris aka Field Gentian

Gentianella campestris is a small flowering plant native to Europe. It belongs to the gentian family, Gentianaceae. Its common names include field gentian and felwort. The Welsh name is crwynllys y maes. Older names include Gentiana campestris and Gentiana obtusifolia. It is native to Britain and Ireland. The RHS highlights its presence in northern Britain, including the Scottish Highlands. Kew places this species in the temperate biome.

The plant grows as an annual or biennial. Both Kew and the RHS support this short life cycle. An archived Chicago Botanic Garden entry instead calls it perennial. Small, narrow leaves form a rosette at the plant's base. The leaves can show a deep red flush. The RHS classes the foliage as deciduous. Upright flower stems reach about 0.66 feet [0.2 metres] tall. This gives the plant a low but upright form. The RHS gives one to two years as its time to maturity.

Flowers appear from midsummer into early autumn. They form clusters at the tops of the upright stems. Each flower has a tube-shaped form. Most blooms are blue-purple, though pink and white forms also occur. The red-flushed leaves add another colour below the flower clusters. Its small size suits the rock gardens and beds listed by the RHS. The same source also suggests borders, informal gardens and cottage gardens. Wildflower meadows and wildlife gardens are other suggested settings.

In the wild, field gentian grows in open grassland. It also occurs on stable dunes and along riverbanks. In cultivation, give it full sun and an open site. It prefers soil that drains well, with neutral or alkaline pH. The RHS lists chalk, loam and sand as suitable soils. Its moisture range runs from dry to moist. Listed aspects face east, south or west. Sites may be exposed or sheltered. The RHS rates its hardiness H7, its coldest category. This covers conditions below minus 20 degrees Celsius.

Grow new plants from seed; the RHS lists no other method. The plant needs no pruning. The RHS reports few usual problems with pests or disease. These traits keep its routine care needs limited. The supplied sources give no guidance on edible parts or toxicity.