# Great Yellow Gentian (*Gentiana lutea*)

The Great Yellow Gentian is a beautiful flower with bright yellow petals. It grows tall in the mountains and is known for its lovely color and unique shape.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Mountain regions

![Great Yellow Gentian](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Gentiana_lutea_230705.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Bernd Haynold, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gentiana_lutea_230705.jpg)

## Appearance

The Great Yellow Gentian has tall, unbranched stems topped with whorls of large, vibrant yellow, star-shaped flowers that seem to emerge directly from the leaf axils. Its glossy, deeply veined green leaves grow in pairs along the robust stem, giving it a distinctive tiered appearance in high mountain meadows.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Gentianales
- **Family:** Gentianaceae
- **Genus:** Gentiana

## Interesting facts

- It can take up to ten years for a young plant to bloom for the very first time!
- Its bright yellow flowers are like trumpets, attracting hungry bees and butterflies!
- Its roots are incredibly bitter, used for centuries to make special digestive tonics!
- This amazing plant can live for over 50 years, returning bigger and brighter each spring!

## Special abilities

- **Root Reserve:** It develops a massive, deep taproot that stores energy for many years, allowing it to survive harsh mountain winters.
- **Patience Bloom:** Great Yellow Gentian can live for years before flowering for the first time, waiting for perfect conditions to reproduce.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 100-150 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 3-5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Gathers nectar and pollen, aiding in reproduction.
- **Pollinates:** Western honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects sweet nectar from its bright yellow flowers.
- **Eaten by:** [Common vole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-vole) (*Microtus arvalis*) — May occasionally consume parts of the root or stem.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch flowers in the wild to keep them safe.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Great Yellow Gentian?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Great Yellow Gentian?

100-150 cm

### How wide does Great Yellow Gentian spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on Great Yellow Gentian?

3-5 cm

### When does Great Yellow Gentian bloom?

Summer

### Is Great Yellow Gentian edible?

No

### Is Great Yellow Gentian toxic?

Mild

### What is Great Yellow Gentian's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Aubrac Regional Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/aubrac-regional-nature-park) — FR · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Great Yellow Gentian: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-yellow-gentian)