Description
Botanical Information: Wood Avens
Bring colour to your garden with wood avens’ yellow flowers which can be seen from spring to autumn. A downy perennial which can grow up to 50cm tall and can spread easily through its “velcro”-like seed heads, which have perfectly evolved to stick onto animals as they pass by, aiding in the plant’s dispersal and colonisation of new areas. It will also commonly hybridise with water avens (Geum rivale). Fun if you already have water avens on your land or garden.
Habitat
Although its name “urbanum” sounds like it belongs in city centres, wood avens can be found in damp woodlands, hedgerows and in shady areas. It is commonly seen growing in open, disturbed habitats that are rich in nitrogen. It’s a versatile plant which can handle both sunny and shady spots, providing valuable foliage for wildlife that lasts all year. What more could you ask for?
Benefits of Wood Avens to Wildlife
This species have yellow flowers that appear in spring, which provide a valuable source of nectar for insects. Species of birds, including chaffinch, house sparrow and wood pigeons are known to feed on the seeds produced by wood avens.
Conservation Status in the UK
This species is not facing any major conservation issues in the UK, in fact it is a common sight in semi-natural broadleaved woodlands, scrub and hedgerows.
Ease of Growing
Choose a semi-shaded spot in your garden with well-drained soil, simply plant the wood avens and water during dry spells. It’s painfully easy to grow as long as it’s in the right spot and watered in droughts. You have to really try quite hard to kill it, in all honesty.
More Information
Species From the Same Habitat
Common Dog-Violet | Viola riviniana
Rough Chervil | Chaerophyllum temulum
Sweet Cicely | Myrrhis odorata
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