Geum (aka Avens), Geum spp.
Once gardeners get to know geums (also known as avens), a relatively uncommon perennial, they often seek out others. Ohio gardener Brad Johnson, the content creator behind @garden.evolution, says he fell in love with geums accidentally.
Photograph via Bluestone Perennials.
The ‘Mai Tai’ is the geum that got Johnson hooked on the flower. Members of the rose family, the rhizomatous perennials’ blooms resemble tiny roses, which look great in the garden and in cut bouquets.
Wilson loves to use Geum ‘Flames of Passion’ in flower arrangements. Johnson also notes that clay soil doesn’t seem to bother them.
Photograph by Staudengärtnerei Forssman via Flickr.
Bradshaw’ is among Gould’s favorite geums.
Photograph by Mark via Flickr.
“It will take a few years to establish and give you nice long stems for cuttings,” says Wilson, who advises picking geums when the blooms are half open for the longest lasting cut flowers.
(However, note that when the Chicago Botanic Garden trialed geums, they found that many grew vigorously without the chore of division.)
Geum are beloved for their versatility and ease of pairing.
“The combination is strong and vibrant,” she says, noting that both plants flower for a long time and are very easy to care for in a sunny spot.
Two U.S. breeders developing lines of geum are Terra Nova Nurseries and Brent Horvath of Intrinsic Perennials. Terra Nova has the ‘Tempo’ series which consists of four colors (pictured is Geum TEMPO™ ‘Yellow’).
Cheat Sheet
Photograph by Victoria via Flickr.
Johnson is a fan of Geum ‘Prairie Smoke’, a native North American woodland flower.
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