Plant
Agueweed
Gentianella quinquefoliaAlso known as Stiff Gentian, Five-flowered Gentian
Agueweed produces upright clusters of lilac to pale blue tubular blossoms that open only in warm sunlight during early to mid-autumn. As an annual or biennial herb, it colonizes calcareous glades, moist meadows, and open woodland borders where moderate disturbance clears competing vegetation. Its historical folk name stems from the bitter root extract once brewed by early American settlers as a fever tonic to treat ague.
WildflowerAutumn-bloomingPollinator-attractor
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preySunlight, Water, Soil nutrients
Predators
- White-tailed Deer
- Eastern Cottontail
ThreatsHabitat fragmentation, woody encroachment, and invasive weed competition
HabitatsMoist prairies, open calcareous woods, stream banks, and meadows
Life span1–2 years (annual or biennial)
Classification
- FamilyGentianaceae
- SpeciesGentianella quinquefolia
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Best Timing: Look for open blooms on bright, sunny afternoons in September and October.
- Habitat Clues: Scan sloping roadside banks and limestone clearings with thin, moist soil.
Pollinator USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab from Beltsville, Maryland, USA / Public domain · cc0
Same Family (c) Jared Shorma, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Same Family (c) aarongunnar, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by aarongunnar · cc-by
Image unavailableSame Family
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