With the assistance of an acquaintance on Facebook, I found me some Greater Fringed Gentians (Gentianopsis crinita formerly Gentiana crinita). I learned pretty quickly that they close up overnight or on cloudy days and are only opened when exposed to the sun…..so I had to settle for a dewy bud, but I think you can make out the fringe. I did wait until the sun hit them and gave it some time, but I think they need to dry off and warm thoroughly. I didn’t have the time to wait this time around. I am not sure if I can get there tomorrow afternoon when they would be fully open, but I may try. Next year I will need to visit them a week or so earlier as most of the early blooms were faded and I didn’t care for their appearance in one of the clusters.
The background is browned and drying ferns.
For David and anyone else who wish to consider me crazy, I drove for an hour and about 35 miles for this shot early this morning. 🙂 I am thinking of buying a few plants and raising some in the yard.
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
It has a great color. The anticipation of seeing it open is going to make me lose sleep. 😦
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Well that certainly puts a lot of pressure on me to make a return trip tomorrow. 🙂
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Joanna would scold me for asking … what’s so special about this particular plant? Rare, protected, endangered, or simply a very special organism? I took a look on Google to see what the bloom looks like when full open … if you’ve got fuel in the vehicle, and time to spare, I’d say take another drive … I’ll be happy to see one in full display. D PS: I told Joanna that you posted this and might try again tomorrow … she said, ‘They don’t open very often.’ I’m not sure what that means? PPS: Spent the afternoon trimming sheep hooves … so, no new images for me today. I’m feeling quite sorry for myself.
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To the best of my knowledge, they are neither rare nor endangered much like Lady’s Slippers. But they are prone to being dug up and taken places so we don’t usually give locations. If you saw the picture of one fully open, then you know why I am eager to photograph a few. The blue is just lovely and the fringed petal edges so delicate. But their growing habitat is quite busy and crowded, so getting one with a background like this bud may not be easy.
What Joanna is talking about is what I mention above…they only like the sunshine. So if it is a cloudy day, which it may be tomorrow here, then they might not open. And they close at night, so I couldn’t find any open blooms today.
I am sure your sheep appreciate the sacrifice. I hope they don’t kick like cows. 🙂
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I think this is extraordinarily fine. Open or not it is gorgeous. May I suggest taking a sun lamp and hair dryer next time but frankly I think it looks superb in bud.
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Thanks, Andrew. I will admit to breathing on the blooms to see if my warm breath would coax them open. The only result was hyperventilation. 😯
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I love the color and contrast you captured…Such a wonderful photo,
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Thanks, Charlie.
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The background color makes this pic very appealing. By all means- buy some of the plants from a nursery and grow some of these plants as your very own. That’s the way to go, Steve. 🙂
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Thanks, Yvonne. I have not had a chance to search for them but I will.
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Your last line reminds me of the last line in Voltaire’s Candide: “Il faut cultiver notre jardin,” “We’ve got to cultivate our garden.”
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Yes we do and I shall.
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That is well beyond the fringe Steve. A great sacrifice and even greater result. Fingers crossed for sunshine on your next trip out.
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Thanks, Rod. Yes, the sun shone. 🙂
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I confess I don’t remember what these look like in full bloom, unfurled and fringy. I’m going to resist the temptation to go look, and wait to see what you bring us. What I am sure of is that this is a lovely photo. Browned and drying ferns never have performed so well.
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I will be able to aid your memory tomorrow, Linda. Earthtones rock. Thanks, I am glad that you like this.
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Oh, but a dewy bud~ fabulous! I’ll be interested to hear how they do for you in your garden. I have lobelias that do well, but I haven’t tried gentians.
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Thanks for reminding me, Melissa. I forgot to look for a seed supplier. They take two years to flower, so I’d better hurry and get them in the ground.
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Oh boy, I know. I love being over 50 but it is starting to dawn on me that I’d better get cracking on some of my plans!
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Time waits for no one. Age is what it is, but I would rather say that I love being over 50 than I love being over 66. 🙂
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