Geum: a hardy and showy perennial for the sunny garden

Geum, also known as Avens, are certainly not counted among the most common perennials, despite having been cultivated in gardens for many years. A relative of roses, their brightly colored flowers bloom freely for many weeks in late spring and early summer. 

Geum is perfectly sized for the front of the perennial border, as a single specimen or in groups. It’s a great companion for a variety of perennials and grasses such as cranesbills, sages, catmints, coral bells,  prairie dropseed, and little bluestem. Brightly colored orange and red geum are nicely paired with other strong colors, particularly deep blues and purples. They are also good in naturalized landscapes and container plantings, and in the case of prairie smoke (Geum triflorum), in rockeries, gravel gardens, and green roofs. 

• Hardy in zones 4-9, plant your geum in full sun to partial shade. 
• Keep the soil moist but not wet. Providing sufficient moisture throughout the growing season is important for maintaining strong, healthy plants. 
• Deadheading is the only maintenance deemed necessary to keep the geum looking good. Deadheading encourages repeat bloom in late summer, improves the bedraggled appearance that sometimes occurs after flowering, and reduces the potential for reseeding. 
• Divide every three or four years to maintain a healthy plant. Dig them up in spring, or early autumn. Break them up into separate pieces each with roots. Replant right away, discarding any weak pieces. Don’t let your divisions dry out.
• Leaves may turn brown in hot, droughty conditions. The dead leaves can be removed to improve the display, but new leaves will eventually sprout and cover up the brown foliage too. Additionally, under these conditions, leaves can become scorched, which increases their susceptibility to spider mites. Avens may also be troubled by powdery mildew, downy mildew, fungal leaf spots, aster yellows, and nematodes. 

Look for these geum in the Master Gardener Demo Garden:

Geum triflorum, commonly known as Prairie Smoke, is often characterized as a native plant, but its superior ornamental traits and cultural adaptability make it a great garden perennial. Its curious flowers—in groups of three— nod like a shepherd’s crook with the creamy white petals hidden beneath rosy pink spurred caps.

Many of the newer varieties of geum have been developed by Brent Horvath, plant breeder and owner of Intrinsic Perennial Gardens in Hebron, Illinois. His Geum Cocktails SeriesTM has reimagined geum, offering gardeners a variety of flower colors ranging from soft pastels to fiery tones of red, orange, and yellow. 

Mai Tai

Totally Tangerine

Content for this article was taken from A Comparative Evaluation Study of Geum spp. Written in 2017 for the Chicago Botanic Garden by Richard G. Hawke. Hawke is the plant evaluation manager at the Chicago Botanic Garden. He and his team evaluate herbaceous and woody plants in comparative trials.

In a trial study for the Chicago Botanic Garden, Richard Hawke has compiled a table rating 46 varieties of geum. Find the full report here.