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Wood Avens

Wood Avens

Geum urbanum

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How common: Very common

Wood Avens is a perennial wildflower with upright, flat, pale yellow blooms. You can spot it in light woods, forest edges, parks, gardens and along paths. It is native across much of Europe and nearby regions and has spread to some other areas.

Did you know?

  • Its hooked seeds hitchhike on animal fur and clothing.
  • It can form hybrids with Water Avens where they grow together.

About the species

Identification

Upright, softly hairy plant 30–70 cm tall. At the base, a ring of leaves is divided into several small side parts with one much larger end part that is often 3‑lobed. Along the stem, leaves are three‑part and three‑lobed, with big, leaf‑like flaps with coarse teeth at the base of each leaf stalk. Flowers are on branching stems, upright and flat, small and pale yellow; the small green parts behind the petals point down while in flower. Fruit heads are nearly round, made of many small hard seeds, each ending in a long hook that sticks to fur and clothes. Similar to Yellow avens, which is usually taller and sturdier. Flowers in June–August.

Plant group

Herbaceous plants

Habitat

herb-rich forest

Flowering

Jun–Aug

About the habitat

Grows in light deciduous woods, forest edges, parks, gardens, and along paths and roadsides, usually on rich or fresh soils. Common in southern Finland.

Sources

Photo: Achim Lammerts (Syntaxys), CC BY-SA 4.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2026-04-26 Z5-6700E Achim-Lammerts Potentilla-indica.jpg

Text: Pinkka: Laaja maatalouslajintuntemus 4 op - Koppisiemeniset, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.38836

Text: Pinkka: A Pohjolan kasveja - Gagea-Hepatica, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.38836

Text: Pinkka: Verso- ja leviäintunnistus - Kaikki leviäimet, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.38836

Text: Pinkka: Kasvitieteen retkeily Ahvenanmaalle - Kastelholman linna, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.38836

Text: Wikipedia (Finnish), CC BY-SA 4.0 https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyl%C3%A4kellukka

See also