Other Names:  White Dryas, White Dryad

Description:

A lovely alpine variety that is an excellent groundcover for sunny areas; white flowers that bloom in spring, and are followed by feathery seed heads in summer; evergreeen leaves develop some red tones in fall, and blacken in winter for added interest

Ornamental Features

Mountain Avens has masses of beautiful nodding white cup-shaped flowers with yellow eyes rising above the foliage in mid spring, which are most effective when planted in groupings. Its serrated oval leaves remain dark green in color with curious white undersides throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Mountain Avens is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Mountain Avens is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Mountain Avens will grow to be only 3 inches tall at maturity extending to 8 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 3 feet. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is native to parts of North America. It can be propagated by division.

Mountain Avens is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.