Scientific Family
Rosaceae
Synonyms
Geum aleppicum ssp. strictum, G. aleppicum var. strictum, G. strictum, G. strictum var. decurrens
Other common names
common avens
Aleppo avens
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Perennial
Similar species
Geum macrophyllum, Geum macrophyllum var. perincisum
Height
To nearly 4 feet
Riparian
Yes
Erect perennial with a few thick, strong, hairy stems. Feather-like green leaves are hairy with wedge to egg-shaped leaflets that vary in size. The 1/2 inch yellow flowers have 5 round, hairy petals and grow in loosely branched clusters at the stem tips.
Stems stout, stiff hairs, leafy; leaves highly variable, basal leaves 5 to 9 leaflets, wedge-shaped at base, upper leaflet largest, stem leaves smaller, mostly 3 leaflets; flowers erect, yellow, petals hairy, upper style segment hairy, bent like a knee.
Habitat
Found in swamps, streams, wet to moist meadows, marshes, damp forests as well as in waste areas and roadsides.
Plant Community
Riparian
Disturbed Areas
Low elevation
5500
High elevation
9500
Flower Characteristics
Flowers are erect on long hairy stalks in a loosely branched cluster. Each 1/2 inch wide flower has 5 hairy, rounded petals that are a bit longer than the 5 leaf-like sepals that grow beneath them. Sepals triangular, tips pointed, hairy below.
Flower color
Yellow
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
No
First bloom month
July
Last bloom month
August
Flower clusters
Elongated
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Upper stems have many more short, stiff, spreading hairs than the lower stems. Basal leaves have 5 to 9 leaflets, stem leaves usually have 3 with the end leaflet often divided into 2 or 3 pointed lobes. Leaflets are hairy and vary greatly in size.
Leaf type
Compound
Leaf color
Dark green
Leaf shape
Round or oval
Leaf margin
Toothed
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Fruit is dry and 1-seeded with a flat oval shape that is longer than wide, 1/8 to 1/4 inch long. At the base of the fruit is a long, pointed, hooked tip (beak) with a few hairs that catch onto animal fur or clothing, helping to disperse the seed.
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit color
Brown
The seeds require 60 days of cold exposure (stratification) to germinate.