Water avens

Water avens: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low leaf rosette from which thin, branched flower stems 30–40 cm tall rise; about 40 cm wide.

Leaves

Pinnate, with small side leaflets and a large, rounded, lobed end lobe; hairy and dark green.

Flower

Nodding, bell-shaped flowers of about 1.5 cm on red-brown stems, from April to June.

Colour

Purple-brown calyx with dusky pink to salmon or cream petals.

Fruit

A small ball of seeds with long, hooked beaks that catch on fur and clothing.

Roots

A short, thick rhizome.

Flowering: April–June · Plants: March–April and September–October · Pruning: March and June

Why grow it?

• A native plant for a wildlife garden, a pond edge or a flowery meadow.
• Flowers early, from April to June, when bumblebees still find little food.
• Grows where it is damp, even in heavy clay or wet soil.
• Pretty, feathery seed heads after flowering.
• Compact and low-maintenance; the leaves stay largely green in mild winters.

Water avens: where does it grow best?

• Sun to partial shade; in full sun the soil must stay moist.
• Humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil: loam, clay or peat. It struggles on dry sand.
• Moist to wet: ideal at a pond edge, in a bog border or in a damp meadow.
• Plant 30–40 cm apart, in groups of 3–5 for the best effect.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Loam, clay or peat

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal or wet

Size

0.4 m tall, 0.4 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -40 °C)

Goes well with

• Marsh marigold: Yellow flowers in April at the water’s edge, in the same wet soil.
• Cuckooflower: Lilac flowers at the same time, also native.
• Ragged robin: Ragged pink flowers in May–June, in the same damp meadow.
• Water forget-me-not: Sky-blue flowers as a fresh underplanting.
• Siberian iris: Narrow leaves and blue flowers in May–June.

Water avens: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and September–October.

1. Plant in March–April or in September–October, when the soil is not frozen.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in compost or leaf mould.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as it was in the pot; the heart of the rosette must not be buried.
4. Leave 30–40 cm between plants.
5. Water in well straight away and keep the soil moist for the first few weeks.
6. Spread leaf mould around the plants to keep the soil moist.

Care

Water

Never let the soil dry out; water generously in dry summers, especially in sun.

Feeding

A layer of compost in spring is enough.

Mulching

Leaf mould in March keeps the soil cool and moist.

Spent flowers

Cut them off for fewer seedlings, or leave them for the pretty seed heads.

Dividing

Every 3–4 years, when the clump goes bare in the centre and flowers less.

Tip: Divide old clumps every 3–4 years, in early spring or in September: young pieces flower far more freely than an old, bare clump.

Water avens: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and June.

When: After flowering, at the end of June, cut away the spent stems. In March, tidy away old, damaged leaves.

How:

• After flowering, cut the flower stems back to just above the leaf rosette.
• If the leaves look tired or spotty in summer, cut them back: fresh leaves will follow.
• In March, cut away dead and brown leaves so the new rosette gets light.

Caution: If you leave the seed heads, it self-seeds and readily crosses with wood avens. If you do not want that, cut them off in time.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In March–April or in September: lift the clump, pull or cut it into pieces that each have their own rosette and roots, and replant at once.

Seed

Sow fresh seed in late summer in a pot in a cold frame and leave the pot outside until the seedlings appear. Cultivars do not come true from seed.

Water avens: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −40 °C.

• Very hardy, to about −40 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• In mild winters the leaf rosette stays largely green.
• It copes well with wet soil in winter, unlike many other perennials.
• In a pot: leave it outdoors and make sure the compost does not dry out.

Diseases and pests

• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in dry summers. Water, cut off affected leaves and choose a damper spot.
• Slugs: They eat young leaves and flower buds in spring. Pick them off in the evening.
• Fewer flowers: Old clumps go bare in the centre and flower less. Divide them every few years.
• Drying out: Brown leaf edges and limp flower stems in a dry summer. Water and mulch, or move it to a damper spot.

Through the year

• March: Cut away old leaves. Add compost or mulch. Plant and divide.
• April: Flowering begins. Plant. Watch for slugs.
• May: Full flower. Bumblebees on the bells.
• June: Last flowers. Cut away spent stems. Water in dry spells.
• July: Water in dry spells. Cut back tired leaves.
• August: Sow fresh seed in a pot. Water in dry spells.
• September: Plant and divide.
• October: Plant.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The seeds have hooked beaks that catch on animal fur and clothing: that is how the plant spreads.
• In the wild, water avens readily crosses with wood avens; the hybrid shows features of both parents.
• The Dutch name nagelkruid, ‘clove herb’, refers to the clove scent of the roots, which is strongest in its relative wood avens.