Local Ecotype
Perennial
Full shade to part sun
Moist to medium soil
12-24”
Blooms in late spring
While it is a more understated member of the Rose family, White Avens has charming evergreen rosettes of deep olive-green foliage that provide visual interest all year long. In late spring, it sends up branched inflorescences of small white flowers that resemble those of strawberries or blackberries, which are distant cousins. These flowers provide nectar and pollen for small pollinators, and the leaves provide food for numerous insect groups, although they are generally avoided by mammalian herbivores. The flowers are replaced by spiky seed heads in early summer.
A denizen of woodlands and edges, White Avens prefers light shade to part sun, although it is quite adaptable and takes well to deeper shade and more open situations if not overly dry. It generally prefers rich loamy soil and moderate moisture but is quite tolerant of different soil types. White Avens self-sows under favorable conditions, forming a pleasant ground cover. An individual plant can span 8-10” wide and reach up to 24” tall in flower.
Local Ecotype
Perennial
Full shade to part sun
Moist to medium soil
12-24”
Blooms in late spring
While it is a more understated member of the Rose family, White Avens has charming evergreen rosettes of deep olive-green foliage that provide visual interest all year long. In late spring, it sends up branched inflorescences of small white flowers that resemble those of strawberries or blackberries, which are distant cousins. These flowers provide nectar and pollen for small pollinators, and the leaves provide food for numerous insect groups, although they are generally avoided by mammalian herbivores. The flowers are replaced by spiky seed heads in early summer.
A denizen of woodlands and edges, White Avens prefers light shade to part sun, although it is quite adaptable and takes well to deeper shade and more open situations if not overly dry. It generally prefers rich loamy soil and moderate moisture but is quite tolerant of different soil types. White Avens self-sows under favorable conditions, forming a pleasant ground cover. An individual plant can span 8-10” wide and reach up to 24” tall in flower.