Bloomipedia
Parry's gentian (Gentiana parryi)
Photo: John Powers via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Parry's gentian

Gentiana parryi

Parry's gentian (Gentiana parryi) is a flowering plant in the Gentianaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly August–September across the U.S.

Native to Colorado

Parry's gentian is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Colorado it's most often seen in bloom in August–September.

4states where USDA records it
2,481CO sightings*
2,885U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Colorado

Quick look

Gentiana parryi, or Parry's gentian, is a species of the genus Gentiana. It is a perennial forb/herb native to Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico.

  • It belongs to the Gentianaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 4 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Colorado. NatureServe
  • In Colorado, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in August–September. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,481 research-grade sightings of it in Colorado, ranking #58 among the 160 flowers on our Colorado list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In Colorado, most flowering sightings come in August–September.

Flowering records by month in Colorado (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (353 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. NatureServe
Colorado
No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Colorado.
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records parry's gentian in 4 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming.

Colorado counties with USDA records: Archuleta, Boulder, Chaffee, Clear Creek, Conejos, Costilla, Delta, Eagle, El Paso, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Gunnison, Huerfano, La Plata, Lake, Larimer, Mesa, Mineral, Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, Park, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, Rio Grande, Routt, San Juan, San Miguel, Summit, Teller.

Names, range and relatives

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Pneumonanthe parryi.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 46 counties across 4 states; the most are in Colorado (31), Utah (9), New Mexico (4).

Other Gentiana on Bloomipedia (3): Mountain bog gentian, Bottle gentian, Broad-petal gentian.

More from the Gentianaceae family (8 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Monument plant, Rosepink, Meadow pink, Felwort, Rocky Mountain fringed gentian.

More Colorado flowers

Monument plant (Frasera speciosa)

Monument plant

Frasera speciosa

Native

🌼 Blooms in CO: June–July
Great mullein (Verbascum thapsus)

Great mullein

Verbascum thapsus

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in CO: July–October
Blue columbine (Aquilegia coerulea)

Blue columbine

Aquilegia coerulea

★ CO state flowerNative

🌼 Blooms in CO: June–August

Sources