Lion's beard, Old man's whiskers, Prairie smoke, Purple avens
Geum triflorum

Family: Rosaceae

What it is like

A stout herb. It is tufted and has a woody rootstock. It keeps growing from year to year. The leaves are mainly at the base. The leaves are feather like and divided into leaflets along the stalk. They are 15 cm long. They are grey-green and can be downy. The flower stems are 20-40 cm long. There are a cluster of yellow flowers with a maroon tinge.

There are about 40 Geum species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in sub-alpine meadows and dry grassland in the Rocky Mountains. It suits hardiness zones 6-9.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, Canada, North America, Tasmania, USA

How it is used for food

The rootstocks are used to make a tea-like drink.

Edible parts

Roots - tea

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Erythrocoma triflora (Pursh) Greene;