Geum urbanum

The Wood Avens or Geum urbanum is a very pretty perennial plant, rich in tradition. Medicinal and aromatic, the avens of cities and fields is also a beautiful plant that will find its place in the herb garden or ornamental garden. Its flowering, although not spectacular, is remarkably long: its small yellow corollas succeed each other from May to September, above a beautiful tuft of foliage beautifully carved in a fresh green. Perfectly at ease in our climate, it prefers partial shade and fertile, moist soils. Simple and robust, avens were once found in all flower gardens. Let's keep a small place for them in our wild gardens and countryside beds!

Geums are herbaceous perennials of the rose family, very hardy, native to temperate or colder regions of the northern and southern hemispheres. It is generally found on humus-rich soils, in the shade of forests, on the edge of undergrowth or hedges. Its vegetation disappears in winter and resumes in spring.

The common avens form a basal foliage tuft composed of upright, vibrant green leaves, divided into 3 to 7 ovate, dentate leaflets. The basal leaves are smaller than those on the stems. The leaflets are almost glabrous on the upper surface, and hairy on the lower surface. A mature plant will measure about 50cm (20in) in height when flowering and have a spread of 40cm (16in). Flowering extends from late spring to the end of summer: on thin, upright, branched and leafy stems, small bright yellow cup-shaped flowers with a prominent heart filled with numerous stamens open. The flowers give way to round and 'hooked' fruits that easily attach to the fur of animals and the bottom of walkers' trousers, thus participating in its dispersal. 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.

Hardy and very floriferous, the common avens is an easy plant, very accommodating, to rediscover for its simplicity and solidity. It appreciates semi-shaded situations and grows in ordinary, moist but well-drained soil. It finds its place in the somewhat wild areas of the garden, or along the edge of the vegetable garden. Requiring some space to develop well, it is important to leave enough clearance around its base. It will blend beautifully with other spring and summer flowering wildflowers such as cornflowers, Galega, Galium, common saponaria or perennial geraniums. By mixing several varieties of avens together, you can create sublime scenes with vibrant colours!

Medicinal properties and various uses:

The roots of the common avens have febrifugal, tonic and astringent properties: they stimulate the appetite and aid digestion. They are used in infusions, which tints them red, to flavour various liqueurs, wine, and beer. In the past, the dyeing properties of this plant were used to colour wool: the root gives a brown-orange colour to fabrics, while the entire plant colours fibres a light brown. The young leaves, edible before flowering, can be mixed into salads. The root has a pleasant clove aroma and can be used in cooking as a seasoning.