This modest herbaceous perennial stands out against the background of “pedigreed” tribesmen with its unpretentiousness and natural charm. In Europe, the plant has long been in favor with gardeners, but we have not yet been spoiled by attention. It’s time to correct this omission!
Pastel and bright, simple and terry, tiny and drooping or large and aspiring upwards — Geum boasts an amazing variety of shapes and shades of its flowers. At the same time, for excellent growth, this herbaceous perennial needs a little — it is enough to allocate it a moist corner in the sun or in an openwork shade. Geum does not like summer drought and stagnation of moisture in the cold season.
Dossier: Geum
- Flowers: there are yellow, orange, pink and red colors, appear depending on the variety from May to August; re-flowering in autumn is possible.
- Place of growth: prefers the sun and soil with good water permeability; sensitive to drought and stagnation of moisture in the cold season.
- Care: it is necessary to rejuvenate regularly by dividing the rhizome; pruning after flowering promotes the rapid formation of new shoots.
Geum varieties and features of their care
The longevity of varietal plants largely depends on their origin.
- So, hardy Geum x heldreichii, for example, varieties ‘Sigiswang’, and Geum coccineum ‘Werner Arends’ are enough to dig out and divide once every 4-5 years.
- Descendants of the South American Geum chiloense, for example, bright yellow ‘Lady Stratheden’ and red ‘Mrs Bradshaw’ (often sold under the names ‘Goldball’ and ‘Feuerball’), need to be rejuvenated in this way once every 3 years. The exception is the plant of the old Dutch variety ‘Prinses Juliana’, which, without rejuvenation, will delight the eye with saturated orange flowers tirelessly for a whole decade.
In the photo on the left: Geum ‘Prinses Juliana’ with flowers of rich orange color lined up along the path. He was accompanied by Alchemilla xanthochlora (pictured in the foreground) and Ranunculus with double yellow flowers (in the background). On the right: fans of bright colors will surely appreciate the red Geum coccineum ‘Red Wings’ and orange ‘Mandarin’. These large-flowered varietal plants up to half a meter high are also perfect for cutting.
It’s easy to find out if your ward needs a rejuvenating procedure: if the bush in the center is bare, then it’s time to take up the shovel.
Geum blooms mainly in June – July, but plants of early varieties open their buds already in May, and late ones delight the eye until autumn.
Some herbaceous perennials, such as Geum triflorum, later adorn charming spherical coplodia.
Geum rivale is a herbaceous perennial whose bell–shaped flowers are “packed” in remarkable red-brown cups.
‘Mai Tai’ is a new variety of Geum native to America with flowers of delicious pink and apricot shades.
Geum of different varieties organically combine in one planting. In the photo on the left, a modest Geum rivale and a bright orange-yellow hybrid made up a bright pair. On the right: the plants in the flower garden are matched in tone: apricot “candles” Verbáscum ‘Cotswold Beauty’ echo the elegant orange “dresses” of Geum.
Another trump card of our hero is that in regions with a warm climate, leaves remain on shoots even in the cold season. Points in his favor are also added by the fact that slugs bypass the plant side.
It is best to plant Geum together with representatives of flora who have similar preferences regarding the place of growth.
And one more tip: do not plant Geum one by one — it will simply get lost in the landing. A group of several copies looks much more spectacular.
In the photo on the left: the Cosmopolitan variety with delicate semi—double pastel-colored flowers looks exquisite and noble, like a blood relative of the queen of flowers – roses. On the right: the yellow flowers of Geum ‘Banana Daiquiri’ contrast effectively with the blue inflorescences of Nepeta. This variety, like ‘Mai Tai’ and ‘Cosmopolitan’, was bred by breeders from the USA.
Does this graceful perennial grow in your garden? Share your impressions!
Leave a Reply