Every year I look forward to the blooming of the Gentians, they are a marker for me of the transition from Spring to Summer. They are a very special plant to the specialist terrain of the Burren in Co Clare. This is a limestone area with very unique and challenging soil conditions for plants. This is why there is a special flora in the area.
But what is less well known in thes parts is that these specialised conditions are continued into a tail end of limestone conditions into Co Galway, are I am lucky to have these flowers growing within walking distance of my home.
The thrill of seeing the first one, then the second close by and then clusters nearby until they seem like dots of blue stamps on the hillside. They are a spectacular blue, the pictures cannot convey the deep translucence of the blue. When I imagine the energerics of plants, this one seems electric.
It is also spectaculary bitter. The most powerful known to us, as far as I know. We need bitters now more than ever, they stimulate bile and stimulate the digestive enzyme release from the pancreas. What is more relevant is that they coordinate the timing of the passage of food with these secretions.
The effect of bitters on the vagus nerve directly connecting the upper digestion to brain function has the effect of calming the fight/flight reaction. This is an overall calming effect.
So the beautiful vibrant energising plant energy helps us in many ways and I am lucky to have it on my doorstep.
Gentians usual habitat is at high altitude in the Alps, they have found a niche habitat in Clare and Galway and they must not be picked or dug up for any reason.
Dr Dilis
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