Geum coccineum - A Profile of Scarlet Avens

PLANT PROFILE

Geum coccineum

Scarlet Avens

The orange-scarlet colour of this species, formerly Geum borisii, will delight visitors to your late spring and early summer garden. Although yellow and red versions are available in the cultivars 'Lady Stratheden' and 'Mrs. Bradshaw' respectively, neither one is very long-lived in my Zone 5 gardens. The beauty pictured above, however, returns year after year asking little in return, as does its lighter orange relative Geum 'Juliana'. If you haven't tried these yet, don't waste another moment.

PRONUNCIATION JEE-um

COMMON NAME Dwarf Orange Geum, Avens

SYNONYMS formerly called Geum borisii, Geum x borisii

DERIVATION coccineum = scarlet

FAMILY Rosaceae - Rose

TYPE clump-forming perennial

USES useful frontal plant, good for cutting

FLOWER bright, bowl-shaped, five-petalled, 1-1/2", single on slender, branching hairy stems

COLOUR bright orange, with prominent yellow stamens

FOLIAGE attractive, low-growing, deeply divided, hairy

COLOUR evergreen

HARDINESS Zone 2

EXPOSURE full sun, with some afternoon shade preferred

SOIL moist, well-drained, deeply worked

WATER maintain even moisture

HEIGHT 12"

SPREAD 8" to 12"

BLOOM late spring (May-July) with rebloom sometimes in fall

STAKING stems may need support

DEADHEAD yes

PROBLEMS detests heat, so provide some shade in hot areas

AFTERCARE cut off entire stem after flowering

FALL CARE cut to ground level

PROPAGATION division: spring or fall every three years; seed: see below

SEED CULTURE sow fresh seed late spring for bloom the following year

FERTILIZER enrich soil with compost or peat moss before planting

FORMS Geum coccineum 'Borisii' (orange-red)
'Georgenberg' (bright yellow-orange)
Geum chiloense (formerly Geum quellyon)
'Fire Opal' (deep red semi-double)
'Lady Stratheden' (bright yellow semi-double)
'Mrs. Bradshaw' (scarlet semi-double)
'Red Wings' (semi-double red)

COMPANION PLANTS ORANGE PERENNIALS & THEIR COMPANIONS
YELLOW PERENNIALS & THEIR COMPANIONS