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Geum urbanum

wood avens

Rosaceae Europe, western Asia, North Africa

Attracts Pollinators Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Fragrant (light)

SunPart Shade – Full Shade

WaterMedium · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 3–8

Overview

Geum urbanum is an upright perennial of the rose family, native to Europe, western Asia, and North Africa, growing 8-24 inches (20-60 cm) tall from a basal rosette. The lower leaves are pinnately divided into a large, lobed terminal leaflet with smaller side leaflets, while the upper leaves are smaller and three-parted. From late spring through summer it bears small yellow flowers about 0.4-0.6 inch (1-1.5 cm) across, each with five widely spaced petals. The flowers give way to rounded heads of dry seeds, each tipped with a hooked, reddish bristle formed from the persistent style. These hooks catch on fur and clothing, carrying the seeds to new ground. The plant self-sows freely and can spread quickly through gardens and waste places. Its thick root has a clove-like scent and was historically used as a flavoring and in herbal medicine. G. urbanum grows in shaded and partly shaded sites on moist, fertile soils, and is often found at woodland edges, in hedgerows, and on disturbed ground. In milder climates the basal rosette stays partly evergreen through winter.

Native Range

Geum urbanum is native to Europe, western and central Asia, and North Africa. It grows in damp woodland, hedge banks, shaded roadsides, and disturbed ground, and has naturalized in parts of North America and elsewhere as an introduced weed.

Suggested Uses

Geum urbanum is grown in informal woodland and cottage plantings and in wildlife or herb gardens for its long flowering and clove-scented root. It tolerates dry shade where many perennials struggle. In many gardens it behaves as a self-seeding wildflower rather than a placed planting.

How to Identify

The basal leaves have one large, rounded terminal lobe with much smaller side leaflets below. Small five-petaled yellow flowers nod slightly on slender, branching stems. The seed heads are round and bristly, each seed tipped with a tiny hook that clings to clothing.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height8" - 2'

Width/Spread10" - 1'

Colors

Flower Colors

yellow

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~14 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowering runs from late spring through late summer, roughly May to August, with a long succession of small yellow flowers a few at a time. Each flower lasts only briefly, but new buds open over many weeks. Hooked seed heads follow and ripen from midsummer onward.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

Tolerates up to 6 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay

Drainagemoist

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow Geum urbanum in part shade to full shade in moist, fertile soil, though it adapts to a broad range of conditions including dry shade once established. It needs little attention and often appears on its own in cultivated beds. Because it self-sows heavily, seed heads are removed before they ripen where spread is unwanted. The plant is generally free of serious pests, though leaves may show powdery mildew in dry summers. Division in spring or autumn renews older clumps. In mild winters the basal rosette stays partly evergreen.

Pruning

No formal pruning is needed. Clearing spent flower stems before the hooked seeds ripen limits self-seeding and tidies the clump. Old or tattered leaves can be cut away in late winter to make room for fresh growth.