# Water Avens (*Geum rivale*) Water Avens are pretty flowers that grow near water. They have lovely, droopy petals that can be pink or yellow. These flowers like to dance in the breeze and are a special sight in nature! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Water Avens](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/%28MHNT%29_Geum_rivale_-_flower_and_bottoms.jpg&width=800) Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%28MHNT%29_Geum_rivale_-_flower_and_bottoms.jpg) ## Appearance The Water Avens has unique nodding, bell-shaped flowers with pinkish-orange sepals and pale yellow petals, giving them a distinct two-toned look. Its fuzzy stems and leaves often form a basal rosette, sometimes with reddish tints. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Geum ## Interesting facts - Its root smells like cloves, a wonderful spicy secret! - Medieval tales said it could protect you from bad luck! - Old-time remedies used its roots for stomach aches! - The fluffy seed heads look like tiny exploding fireworks! ## Special abilities - **Drip-Tip Defender:** Water Avens has pointed leaf tips that help shed excess water, allowing it to thrive in its wet habitats. - **Hooked Hitchhiker:** Its seeds are equipped with tiny hooks that latch onto fur or clothes, spreading them far and wide. - **Cold Conqueror:** Water Avens can withstand colder, damp conditions, enabling it to bloom earlier than many other plants. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 20-60 cm - **Spread:** 15-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — gathers pollen and nectar - **Eats:** Spanish slug (*Arion lusitanicus*) — feeds on its tender leaves - **Eats:** [Roe deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/roe-deer) (*Capreolus capreolus*) — browses on its foliage ## Traits - [Bell-Shaped Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/bell-shaped-flower): Bell-shaped flowers possess petals fused or arranged to form a cup-like or campanulate structure resembling a bell. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [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. - [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 flowers without asking an adult first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Water 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 Water Avens? 20-60 cm ### How wide does Water Avens spread? 15-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on Water Avens? 1-2 cm ### When does Water Avens bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is Water Avens edible? Yes ### Is Water Avens toxic? None ### What is Water Avens's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Currier Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/currier-park-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District - [Barre Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/barre-downtown-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District - [East Arlington Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-arlington-village-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District - [Plainfield Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/plainfield-village-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District - [Naturpark Elm-Lappwald](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/elm-lappwald-nature-park) — Niedersachsen, DE · Park [View all places to see Water Avens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/water-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: [Water Avens: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/water-avens)