Geum Firestarter

Geum 'Firestarter' is a variety of hybrid Avens with exceptionally long-lasting double flowering. It produces magnificent ruffled, poppy-red flowers. As a perpetual bloomer, it can flower from April to September-October. Its numerous flowers bloom on sturdy, branching stems that require no staking. Abundant bright green foliage perfectly complements this dazzling flowering display. A hardy, low-maintenance perennial, this Avens beautifully fills the floral gap often seen in gardens around June.

Geum are very hardy herbaceous perennials from the Rosaceae family, native to temperate or colder regions of the northern and southern hemispheres. Crossed among themselves, they have given rise to numerous hybrids, including 'Firestarter'. This compact and bushy variety reaches 50 cm in height and about 30 cm in width. It forms a clump and develops semi-evergreen basal leaves in winter, of a rich yet vibrant green, irregular and finely velvety, measuring 10 cm long and wide. This Avens displays cymes bearing several double cup-shaped flowers on slender branching stems, gracefully arching above the foliage. Flowering begins in April, slows from mid-July to mid-August, then resumes until October. Like many long-flowering perennials, this Avens is not exceptionally long-lived, so it is advisable to divide it every three years to keep it thriving in the garden. This sterile variety does not produce seeds, which explains its exceptional floriferousness.

Hardy and highly floriferous, Avens 'Firestarter' is an easy and robust plant, celebrated for its simplicity and adaptability. It thrives equally well in full sun or partial shade, in ordinary, moist but well-drained soil. With its striking red blooms, it stands out in borders, mixed beds, or containers. Its flower spikes are perfect for cutting. The plant needs some space to flourish, so it's important to clear the area around its base. It pairs effortlessly with other spring, summer, or autumn-flowering perennials. In partial shade, it harmonises beautifully with Meadow Rues, Lady’s Mantles, and Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Purpurea'. In full sun, it complements Rudbeckias, Pincushion Flowers, and Hardy Geraniums. Mixing different Avens varieties creates stunning colour harmonies.