Gentiana andrewsii is native to northeastern North America, from the Dakotas to the East Coast and through eastern Canada.

[5] The flowers are 2 to 4 cm (3⁄4 to 1+1⁄2 in) long, typically a rich blue color and bottle shaped with fused petals (sympetalous) and closed mouths.

The foliage is hairless with a glossy sheen to it.The plant was named in honor of Henry C. Andrews, an English botanical artist and engraver.

[8] The closed flowers make entrance to feed on pollen or nectar difficult for many species of insects.

The holes in the petals created by this species allow smaller insects to also access the nectar and pollen, including the honeybee (Apis mellifera), the green sweat bee species Augochlorella aurata and Augochlorella persimilis, and the eastern masked bee (Hylaeus affinis).