Geum Orange Pumpkin - Benoîte, Benoîte des jardins

Geum 'Orange Pumpkin', a hybrid avens, is a floriferous perennial plant full of pep, with bright orange double pompon flowers that warm up the garden. It forms a beautiful cushion of apple-green leaves and its flower stems dance above the clump like little flames. This variety creates vividly coloured borders and enhances perennial beds for several weeks. Robust, it is not afraid of the cold and is content with a well-drained, fresh soil in the sun.

Geum 'Orange Pumpkin', the orange avens, is a herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the Rosaceae family. This cultivar was obtained in 2017 by Armand Kremer from the Green Globe nursery, near Aachen in Germany, from a spontaneous seedling from a collection of hybrid Geums.
The 'Orange Pumpkin' avens forms a compact, rounded clump, reaching 30 to 50 cm in height when in flower with a spread of 30 to 40 cm. The plant reaches its mature size in 2 to 5 years. The foliage is deciduous, composed of apple-green, lobed and dentate leaves, arranged in a basal rosette. The flower stems, thin, robust and upright, bear double flowers measuring 3 to 4 cm in diameter. The flowers are solitary or grouped in small numbers at the end of the flower stems. Flowering spreads from May to July, with a possible second flush in autumn if the faded flowers are regularly removed. This flowering attracts bees and butterflies. The aerial growth emerges from the ground in spring and dies back in autumn. Like many long-flowering perennials, this Avens is not very long-lived, so it is advisable to divide it every three years to keep it in the garden for a long time. This cultivar produces seeds. However, plants from these seeds may not faithfully retain the characteristics of their "mother", such as the bright colour or double form of the flowers.

Hardy and generous, this 'Orange Pumpkin' avens is a reliable and easy-going perennial. To showcase its flamboyant flowers, place it at the edge of a bed, in mixed borders or in a pot on the terrace. Its flowers can also be picked to create bouquets. It needs a little space to flourish well, so it is best to avoid crowding it amongst overly invasive plants. In partial shade, it will combine perfectly with the frothy blooms of lady's mantle, with Euphorbia polychroma 'Purpurea' or with fine grasses like Stipa pennata. In full sun, it will create superb scenes in the company of scabious and hardy geraniums. For an even more spectacular effect, consider pairing it with other varieties of avens in yellow, red or orange tones.