Geum reptans Creeping Avens
This is a quite stunning plant when in full flower because unlike so many alpines, the flowers are amongst the largest in the Geum genus (up to 40cm in diameter) and as the photo shows, the plant can be covered in blooms. It can be a pioneer alpine and although quoted as growing up to 2,800 m in my Alpine Flora, the Piz Nair plants were healthy and vigorous at over 3,000 m.
G. reptans reproduces either sexually or via the long stolons which can reach quite a distance from the parent plant. Growing in such inhospitable terrain where the movements of snow, ice and gravel in winter could uproot a normal plant it is deep rooted and measurements by Pohl, Stroude et al in 2007 showed that it is possible for this plant to have roots 70cm deep!
It is a favourite too with gardeners as it thrives at low altitude as well as in the mountains and cultivars with orange, red, yellow and striped varieties in single and double forms are available.
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| Geum reptans Creeping Avens |
LHS: Piz Nair summit 10th July 2010 RHS: Near Corvatsch mid station 8th July 2010
Added on 1st August 2010, updated December 15th 2012, corrected 3rd July 2023