Geum Orange Pumpkin

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

The orange avens Geum 'Orange Pumpkin' 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, formed of apple-green, lobed and dentate leaves, arranged in a basal rosette. The thin, robust, and upright flower stems bear double flowers measuring 3 to 4 cm in diameter. The flowers are single or grouped in small numbers at the end of the flower stems. Flowering spreads from May to July, with a possible second show in the autumn if the faded flowers are regularly removed. These blooms  attract bees and butterflies. The aerial growth emerges from the ground in spring and dies back in autumn. Like many long-flowering perennials, this Avens does not have a very long life span, so it is advisable to divide it every three years to keep it in the garden for a long time. Although this cultivar produces seeds, plants from these seeds may not faithfully retain their 'maternal' characteristics such as the bright colour or double form of the flowers.

Hardy and abundant, 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 patio. Its flowers can also be picked for cut flower displays. 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 a lady's mantle, with Euphorbia polychroma 'Purpurea' or with fine grasses like Stipa pennata. In full sun, it will create a superb display 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.