Old-fashioned Avens, or Geum as it’s often called now, is a lovely spring and early summer perennial that’s airy and well-behaved. For consistency I’ll call it Geum.
This flower is uncommon in the States but better known in Europe. It favors cooler summer conditions than is typical in much of the US. Fortunately in recent years Geums are becoming more available on this side of the pond.
If you can’t find geums at your local nursery, several mail order houses carry about two dozen cultivars, with more being introduced and/or imported every year.
Geum belongs to the rose family and makes up about fifty species worldwide. Nickel-sized flowers dance atop wiry stems, adding a sprinkle of color at just the right height to get noticed. They come in warm tones of yellow, peach, coral, orange, brick and scarlet.
Depending on the cultivar, blooms can be single, double, nodding or upright.Geum foliage is a foot-wide basal clump of attractive, hairy, lobed leaves that stays evergreen most of the year. Branched bare stems arise from the crown and bud up, opening singly into an airy display. Flowers open in May.
You might have read about or seen prairie smoke, a very pretty native Geum with gorgeous wispy seed pods, but it prefers very dry conditions. I don’t recommend it for Pennsylvania. Stick with the other cultivars better suited for our area.
Geum are remarkably disease- and pest-free. They never crowd their neighbors, and while some have been known to self-seed modestly, mine never have. Self-seeding is not a problem at all.
Cultivars to Consider
Totally Tangerine – An improved variety that’s hard to beat for hardiness. I have three plants going on several years old, with no dividing needed so far. The color is soft orange with gold highlights.
Supposedly Totally Tangerine repeat blooms, but don’t count on it in our climate. Mine rarely repeat, probably because it gets too hot by midsummer. The main flush is May through June, sometimes into July if I deadhead daily. It does bloom longer than the rest by weeks.
Blazing Sunset – This rich, true red double will light up the garden. The flower form is a captivating improvement over scarlet Mrs. Bradshaw, a warm red single with a slightly shorter bloom period.
Either one will give you brilliant, eye-popping flowers in May and June. I’ve tried both, but each died out by their second year. I hope to try again, this time in half gravel. I’ll also try dividing them annually. They’re worth trying if you like red, or you want a dash of contrast.
Apricot Delight – Here’s a lovely pale peachy-pink with dark stems that looks best massed. This petite beauty is going strong into its fourth year. It’s in full sun and very exposed, yet it blooms its head off every spring. Shorter than most at 12″ tall, put it along a pathway or in a rock garden, somewhere where it won’t get lost.
These are the only cultivars I’ve grown so far, so I can’t comment on others. There are solid yellows, soft blends with ruffled petals, corals and pretty bicolors. Feel free to try any of them. The trick is to find the ones you want for sale near you. For now, mail order may be your best bet. If you see one at a nursery, why not go for it?
Easy Care, Too!
Geum are not fussy about soil ph. They do fine in part sun, and require little to no active care. A little fertilizer to promote blooming in spring doesn’t hurt. The main thing is to ensure good drainage and to place them where they won’t get fried.
Deadheading helps extend flowering a little, but not all that much, so it’s certainly not critical. Divide the whole clump in early fall when they start to look tired. Growers advise dividing every few years to reinvigorate them and keep them going.
That’s it! I hope you try Geums. You’ll love their sweet dainty blossoms waving hello in the late spring air, I’m sure of it.
