2024 May 19 Geum Magic

When we first installed the front yard “Pollinator Garden” we didn’t know the value of native plants over cultivars. We focused on flowering perennials and walked the neighborhood to see what worked in our area. A neighbor had a BEAUTIFUL orange Geum patch that seemed to bloom all summer. We looked everywhere and finally found it at Lakewood Garden Center. 

The pretty orange flowers are a Geum species, likely a cultivar of a large leaf Avens. 

Once we started looking into native species, I was sad we hadn’t picked a native Geum. There are a few really interesting Geums native to North America. I wished I had one. 

Years passed and we never came across a native Geum in any garden center. However, this year a curious new yellow flower with pretty strawberry-like leaves appeared in the partial shade of the back yard. A quick search turned up Yellow Avens Geum aleppicum! This pretty flower is what I asked for -a Geum that is native to North America! And it’s everywhere! I’m excited to see if it blooms as frequently as the cultivar out front! 

Geum aleppicum, a North American native flower that I hoped for years ago just appeared this year!