Ross' Avens

geum rossii

Ross' Avens (Geum rossii) is a resilient, low-growing alpine perennial that paints high-elevation meadows and rocky ridges with bursts of cheerful yellow. Thriving in the harsh, wind-swept tundras of North America and eastern Asia, this tenacious member of the rose family is a true survivor. It has adapted beautifully to some of the most extreme environments on Earth, where freezing temperatures and intense solar radiation are daily challenges. In addition to its ecological role as an early-season resource for pollinators, Ross' Avens plays a dramatic visual role in alpine landscapes. As summer transitions to autumn, its dense, divided green leaves undergo a stunning metamorphosis, turning entire mountainsides into vibrant carpets of brilliant crimson and copper. It is a favorite sight for high-altitude hikers and nature enthusiasts.

Lebensraum: Found in high-elevation alpine tundra, rocky mountain slopes, gravelly screes, and fellfields above the timberline.

Aussehen

This plant forms low-growing, cushion-like clumps typically standing 10 to 30 centimeters tall. It features bright yellow, buttercup-like flowers that are 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters wide, each displaying five rounded petals surrounding a dense cluster of golden stamens. The leaves are deeply divided and pinnate, resembling small, intricate ferns, and form a lush green base during the spring and summer before transforming into a striking, deep red color in the autumn.

ReichPlantaeStammTracheophytaKlasseMagnoliopsidaOrdnungRosalesFamilieRosaceaeGattungGeum

Ross' Avens

Kategorie

Pflanzen

Seltenheit

Common

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Snaps

Mach den ersten Snap!

Interessante Fakten

Despite the freezing winds of alpine ridges, the saucer-shaped flowers of Ross' Avens act like miniature satellite dishes, focusing solar heat onto their reproductive organs to attract pollinators.

Individual clumps of Ross' Avens can survive for over a decade in some of the harshest, most nutrient-poor soils on the planet.

Its spectacular autumn transformation turns vast green tundra landscapes into striking fields of crimson, visible from miles away.

Besondere Fähigkeiten

Accumulates high concentrations of soluble sugars in its cellular fluid to prevent ice crystals from damaging its tissues during sudden summer freezes.

Produces high levels of red anthocyanin pigments in autumn, which protect the leaf cells from intense high-altitude sunlight while the plant prepares for winter dormancy.

Utilizes a tough, creeping underground rhizome system that anchors the plant firmly in unstable, shifting scree slopes and captures scarce moisture.

Maße und Details

Länge: 10-30 cm
Lebenserwartung: 5-15 Jahre

Ernährung und Fütterung

As a photosynthetic autotroph, Ross' Avens converts sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into sugars to fuel its growth while absorbing water and mineral nutrients through its root system.

Hauptnahrung

Sunlight
Carbon dioxide
Water
Mineral nutrients

Ökologische Zusammenhänge

eaten by

American Pika

Ochotona princeps

The American Pika harvests the leaves and flowers of Ross' Avens to store in its haypiles as a vital winter food source.

mutualism

Alpine Bumblebee

Bombus balteatus

The Alpine Bumblebee visits the yellow blossoms to collect nectar and pollen, serving as a primary pollinator.

eaten by

Bighorn Sheep

Ovis canadensis

Bighorn Sheep graze on the nutrient-rich summer foliage of Ross' Avens in alpine meadows.

Merkmale

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Sicherheit

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Noch keine besonderen Sicherheitshinweise.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Wie identifiziert man Ross' Avens?

Der einfachste Weg, Ross' Avens zu bestimmen, ist die Verwendung der Naturführer-App Snappit.

Was ist der/die/das länge von Ross' Avens?

10-30 cm

Was ist der/die/das lebenserwartung von Ross' Avens?

5-15 Jahre

Was frisst Ross' Avens?

As a photosynthetic autotroph, Ross' Avens converts sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into sugars to fuel its growth while absorbing water and mineral nutrients through its root system.

Wo findet man Ross' Avens normalerweise?

Found in high-elevation alpine tundra, rocky mountain slopes, gravelly screes, and fellfields above the timberline.