# Large-leaved Avens (*Geum macrophyllum*) Large-leaved Avens is a beautiful plant with big, green leaves and lovely yellow flowers. It grows in cool, shady places and adds a splash of color to the forest floor. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Large-leaved Avens](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Geum_macrophyllum_10101.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund, CC BY 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Geum_macrophyllum_10101.JPG) ## Appearance The Large-leaved Avens has striking, deeply lobed basal leaves that can be quite big, growing close to the ground. Its bright yellow, five-petaled flowers are borne on tall, slender stems above the foliage, creating a cheerful display. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Geum ## Interesting facts - Baby deer and elk love to nibble on its fresh, young leaves. - Early settlers sometimes used its roots to flavor a type of beer. - Its roots can smell like cloves or wintergreen when crushed! - This tough plant can even grow high up in mountain meadows! ## Special abilities - **Seed Hitchhikers:** Large-leaved Avens has tiny, hooked seeds that attach to animal fur, helping it spread far and wide to new locations. - **Rhizome Power:** Large-leaved Avens can spread underground using rhizomes, allowing it to form dense patches and colonize areas. - **Shade Supporter:** Large-leaved Avens has large leaves to efficiently capture sunlight in shaded forest understories, maximizing energy production. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to mid-summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Two-form Bumble Bee (*Bombus bifarius*) — Collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** Western Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for resources - **Eaten by:** [Elk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/elk) (*Cervus canadensis*) — Browses on leaves and stems - **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Feeds on foliage ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they are safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Large-leaved Avens? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Large-leaved Avens? 30-90 cm ### How wide does Large-leaved Avens spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Large-leaved Avens? 1-2 cm ### When does Large-leaved Avens bloom? Late spring to mid-summer ### Is Large-leaved Avens edible? Yes ### Is Large-leaved Avens toxic? None ### What is Large-leaved Avens's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cougar-mountain-regional-wildland-park) — Washington, US · Park - [Pike Place Market](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pike-place-market) — Washington, US · Historic District - [Sitka National Historical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sitka-national-historical-park) — US · National Park - [Chinatown-International District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chinatown-international-district) — Washington, US · Historic District - [Cougar Mountain Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cougar-mountain-zoo) — Washington, US · Zoo [View all places to see Large-leaved Avens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/large-leaved-avens) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Large-leaved Avens: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/large-leaved-avens)