Bottle gentian is a beautiful late-season blooming perennial. It has multiple stems with glossy leaves. The blue to violet flowers are clustered together at the end of stems. The flower petals are fused into a bottle shape resembling an unopened flower bud. Even upon maturity the flowers never open. The fused petals give the flowers a crinkled, pleated appearance. Pollination is primarily done by bumblebees that are strong enough to force their way into the flower. The plant often leans over surrounding vegetation or stays low to the ground. Bottle gentian is found in low prairies, near streams and ponds, wet meadows, and woodland openings.