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Geum macrophyllum

Large-leaved Avens

At a Glance: Hairy perennial with short rhizomes and big leaves topped by small yellow flowers.

Height: Up to 3 feet (1 meters).
Growth Form: Herb.
Stems: Hairy.
Leaves: Basal leaves long stalked, with heart to kidney shaped terminal segments many times larger that the several leaflets below; stem leaves few, stalkless or nearly so, deeply 3 lobed or 3 parted; color: light green.
Flowers: Saucer-shaped, petals to 6mm long, single or in a few-flowered cluster at the tips of the branches; primary color: bright-yellow.
Flowering Period: May, June.
Fruits: Clusters of short hairy achenes that have elongate styles with an "S" shape at the tip, cling to any rough surface like fur or clothing; size: 1 cm diameter; color: green-brown.


Photo © 2003, Starflower Foundation

Sun/Shade Tolerance	Hydrology	Elevation Range
full sun > 80% mostly sunny 60%-80% partial sun and shade 40%- 60% mostly shady 60%-80% full shade > 80%	wet moist dry Wetland Indicator Status: FACW (facultative wetland)	low elevation mid elevation sub-alpine high elevation

Soil Preferences
(data not available)

Habitat Preferences
Aquatic and Wetland: Ponds or lakes Shallow pools Sloughs Swales or wet ditches Seasonally inundated areas Marshes or swamps Aquatic bed wetlands Emergent wetlands Scrub-shrub wetlands Forested wetlands Bogs, fens Seeps, springs Shorelines and Riparian: Lake shores Bog margins Streams or rivers Stream or river banks Riparian corridors River bars Floodplains Bottomlands Alluvial areas	Saltwater Areas: In or near saltwater Mud flats Tidal areas Estuaries Saltmarshes Brackish water Seashores Coastal dunes or beaches Rocky or Gravelly Areas: Coastal bluffs Cliffs Rocky slopes Outcrops Crevices Glacial outwash Gullies Slide areas Sub-alpine and Alpine: Heaths Snow beds Tundra Avalanche tracks	Forests and Thickets: Forests and woods Open forests Coniferous forests Old growth forests Deciduous forests Mixed forests Nurse logs Forest edges, openings, or clearings Thickets Meadows and Fields: Pastures or fields Meadows or grassy areas Mossy areas Disturbed Areas: Roadsides Trailsides Logged sites Burned areas Disturbed sites

Wildlife Value

(data not available)

Ethnobotanical Uses and Other Facts

Medicinal Uses: The Nuxalk made tea with the roots for stomach pain. The leaves were poulticed on boils by the Nuxalk, Quileute, Snohomish and Quinault. The Quileute and the Klallam chewed the leaves during labor, because these plants appeared at the same time that seals gave birth to their pups. The S. Vancouver Island Salish ate the leaves before visiting a dying person to guard against germs. Chehalis women made tea from the leaves to avoid conception, this only worked after the woman had given birth. Cowichan men chewed the leaves and fed them to their wives when they were pregnant to "straighten the womb" and aid delivery. The Squamish used the leaves to make a diuretic tea. An eyewash was also prepared from the leaves. The Haida boiled the roots to make a steambath to treat rheumatism.
Food Uses: Roots were used for flavoring stews and fish.
Name Info: "Macrophyllum" means big leaf, matching the common name nicely.

Suggested References

Cooke, S.S. A Field Guide to the Common Wetland Plants of Western Washington and Northwetern Oregon. Seattle Audubon Society and Washington Native Plant Society. Page 118.
Guard, B.J. 1995. Wetland Plants of Oregon & Washington. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 113.
Hitchcock, C.L., A. Cronquist. 1973. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Page 212.
Jacobson A.L. 2001. Wild Plants of Greater Seattle. Published by author. Page 196.
Lyons, C., W. Merilees. Trees and Shrubs to Know in Washington and British Columbia. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 223.
Pojar, J., A. Mackinnon. 1994. Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 185.
Turner, N.AJ. 1975. Food Plants of British Columbia Indians: part 1, Coastal Peoples. British Columbia Provincial Museum. Page 37.

The landscaping and restoration information provided on this page is taken from Starflower Foundation Image Herbarium. All photographs © Starflower Foundation unless otherwise noted.