Geum chiloense - Scarlet Avens - Seeds

Description

• Rosaceae Rosales
• Chile
• H 0.9m x W 0.4m
•  Z6 
• Perennial
• Synonyms: Geum quellyon, Chilean Avens, Grecian Rose
• 1 packet of 20 seeds

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Details

Geum chiloense is a spectacular avens grown as an ornamental plant for its ethereal scarlet flowers, borne above a tuft of superb, deep green, pinnate leaves

Here is a robust perennial herb which forms increasingly dense clumps of vegetation over the years

The leaves of Geum quellyon resist very well to small frosts and can therefore last all winter

The flowers of the Chilean Avens are double, bright red, with a yellow center, and resemble small roses

Varieties exist in yellow and orange

Blooming occurs for several weeks, staggered from late spring to early summer

Often a second flowering occurs towards the end of summer

The flowers are carried high above the foliage, in aerial panicles which give a lot of grace to the plant

Their very intense bright red color is quite rare in the range of garden plants

The Scarlet Avens is a cousin to the Geum urbanum which grows in Europe

Like Geum urbanum, its roots have a rich scent of cloves in spring, and are used as a traditional medicine for tooth neuralgia, gastric inflammation, and prostatitis

A robust, easy plant to definitely have in your garden

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Cultivation

Sow early, from March, directly in place, or in the nursery in pots

Chilean Avens is hardy enough to start early and outdoors

Keep the sowing clean to give the young plants the advantage, and so as not to confuse them later with weeds

Find a location in full sun for even more abundant flowering.

It likes cool, moderately to fertile soil, and will therefore appreciate being watered in summer.

It nevertheless tolerates periods of drought

Flowering occurs from the 2nd year then regularly each year and becomes more and more abundant.

Maintenance consists of small cleaning to promote the vigor of the plant

Cut the stems when flowering is finished, and clean the clumps by removing any dead leaves that are in the way

No diseases, no notorious pests