Garden Notebook

Plants, gardening and good tools, between passion and practice

Geum (avens): the easy perennial that flowers from April to August

Daniel Platteau Full sun plants Perennials

An introduction to the genus Geum

A modest but free-flowering perennial

Avens (Geum) is a botanical genus belonging to the Rosaceae family. There are around sixty species, native to temperate, mountain or even Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. This rhizomatous perennial charms with its light, elegant flowers, often compared to miniature wild roses.

Its variety of shapes and colours makes it an ideal companion for beds, rock gardens and borders. With fairly simple care, it adapts to many gardens.

History and discovery of Geum

From European mountains to gardens around the world

The name Geum is an old Latin word for avens, mentioned by Pliny the Elder. Wild European species, such as Geum urbanum (wood avens) or Geum rivale (water avens), have been known since antiquity for their medicinal or aromatic properties. The first precise botanical descriptions date back to Linnaeus and the great explorers of the 18th century.

It was in the 19th century, with the development of ornamental horticulture, that selections and hybrids multiplied. The improvement of garden varieties in the 20th century, notably through crosses with Geum chiloense (native to Chile), gave the colourful cultivars we know today, with scarlet, orange or bright yellow flowers.

Biological and botanical characteristics

Habit, foliage and flowering

Geum rivale, a wild flower

Avens are herbaceous perennials, often with a rhizomatous rootstock. Their stems can reach 30 to 70 centimetres in height. The foliage, generally basal, is divided and crinkled, sometimes semi-evergreen. Flowering runs from April to August depending on the species. The flowers open singly or in cymes, and their five wide-open petals reveal a centre of prominent stamens. Colour range: red, orange, yellow, pale pink and sometimes white.

Geum urbanum, wood avens, grows in partial shade, and its roots give off a clove scent once used for avens liqueur. Modern hybrids (Geum × borisii, Geum × heldreichii, etc.) offer magnificent flowers for cutting in the garden.

To grow well, the plant likes a moist but well-drained soil and a sunny to partly shaded position. Its roots cope poorly with hard frost in waterlogged, poorly drained soil.

In the garden: planting, care and maintenance

A simple guide to generous flowering

Avens are planted in spring or autumn, in well-worked, loosened soil. Give them a partly shaded spot, although they tolerate sun well as long as the soil stays moist. Mulching is recommended to retain moisture.

For maintenance, remove faded flowers to prolong flowering. At the end of the season, cut back damaged foliage. Dividing the clump (every 3–4 years) gives the plant new vigour.

Water regularly but without excess, as the roots are prone to rot. A moderate dressing of compost in spring encourages good growth.

For containers, use a light compost and provide good drainage. In cold climates, protect the pot with horticultural fleece. In open ground, most varieties withstand hard frosts (down to -15 to -20 °C) if the soil is well drained.

Propagation: seed, cuttings and division

How to propagate Geum

Avens are mainly propagated by seed, by dividing the clump or, more rarely, by root cuttings.

Seed: Geum seed is collected from non-hybrid plants. Sow at the end of winter under a cold frame (temperature 18 °C). Germination is uneven; most plants will flower the following year.

Division: the most reliable method in the garden. Divide every 3 to 5 years in autumn (or early spring), once the plant has formed a large rootstock. Separate pieces of rhizome with roots and buds. Division rejuvenates the plant and keeps the variety true to type.

Root cuttings: in some rhizomatous species, you can take a few sections of fleshy root and root them in a humid atmosphere. It is a technique used in professional production to multiply stock plants quickly.

Hygiene: make sure cutting tools are disinfected to avoid spreading fungal diseases when dividing.

Diseases, pests and other problems

Good practice for healthy avens

Geum are generally tough, but susceptible to:

  • Powdery mildew: a whitish powder on the leaves in humid weather. Treat preventively with sulphur.
  • Grey mould (Botrytis): on the flowers in a damp summer. Improve air circulation.
  • Slugs and snails: fond of young shoots in spring.
  • Aphids: sometimes settle on flower stems. A strong jet of water or vegetable oil gets rid of them.

The best prevention is good air circulation, adequate planting distances and clean ground free of dead leaves carrying spores.

Cultivated varieties and the professional market

Cultivars popular with home gardeners and professionals alike

In professional production, the plant is enjoying renewed interest for its hardiness and excellent vase life as a cut flower. Breeders regularly introduce new compact, very free-flowering series.

Among the best varieties:

  • Geum 'Mrs Bradshaw': scarlet red flowers, very free-flowering, 60 cm tall.
  • Geum 'Totally Tangerine': salmon-orange flowers over a long period, copes well with heat.
  • Geum 'Borisii': bright orange, compact, ideal for edging.
  • Geum rivale (water avens): a wild species with nodding coppery-pink flowers, ideal for damp areas.

These plants are available in garden centres in spring or from specialist growers such as Promesse de Fleurs, Willemse or the Lepage nursery.

Conclusion

A timeless perennial

Avens are great allies for gardens of every size. Hardy, flowering for several months and rich in warm colours, they are very easy to live with and delight both amateurs and professionals looking for an economical, resilient crop.

Use the advice in this article to grow your Geum with confidence.

Sources

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