White Avens is a native perennial groundcover in the rose family. It is typically found in woodlands and thickets in the eastern 2/3 of North America, including Canada. The plants will grow 1.5 to 2.5 feet tall and bloom in early to late spring into early summer. The plant prefers partial shade conditions in moist loam to clay loam soils and lower fertility. More sun is tolerated in moist conditions. The foliage is attractive all year and can be used as a ground cover. The plant usually blooms the second year with small white flowers that are attractive to pollinators. The seedheads have hooks that can attach to fur and clothes. It is often considered weedy and may best be used in naturalized and woodland settings. It can also be used in containers as background vegetation. White avens could be used as a lawn alternative in an area with low foot traffic, as it can be mowed to 4 inches. It is not a dense plant, so it will not form a thick mat of vegetation. It prefers the shade but will tolerate sunny areas as well. It is deer and black walnut tolerant. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasional Flooding | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 6 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Basal leaves are produced in the spring in a 6-inch rosette with compound leaves with 3-7 leaflets and long petioles. The lower stem leaves are usually compound with 3 leaflets and the upper leaves are usually simple and alternate. Leaves are up to 4 inches long and 3 inches wide and are variable in shape. Leaves get smaller as they go up the stem with shorter or no petioles. There is a strawberry leaf-like structure at the base of the petiole. Both sides of the leaves may have a few hairs. Margins are serrated and often divided into 3 lobes.
Flower color
White
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
1/2" white flowers with 5 rounded petals and 5 pointed green sepals and numerous stamens that surround a dome-shaped center of green carpels from early to late spring into early summer. They arise from the terminal stem in 1-3 groups and from the axis of upper stems.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Green
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
A round cluster of green achenes are about 3/4 inch across and mature to brown. The persistent styles are hooked at their tips allowing them to catch onto fur and clothes.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green
Stem detail
Round green upper stems are pubescent, while the lower stems are often brownish green and coarsely hairy
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern 2/3 of North America
Distribution
AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV, WY
Wildlife value
A variety of pollinators are attracted to the flowers
Attracts
Bees; Pollinators
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Roots
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Achene
Edibility
The boiled roots are a chocolate substitute
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Woodland
Landscape theme
Native Garden; Shade Garden
Design feature
Mass Planting
Garden tags
#groundcovers that can be mowed #native groundcover #NC native #mass planting #flowers early spring #flowers late spring #container plant #flowers mid-spring #NC Native Pollinator Plant #woodland #prickles #thicket #partial shade tolerant