Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' (Scarlet Tempest avens) care

Light

Aim for at least 4-6 hours of direct sun on the leaves. Full sun to part shade; the most prolific flowering comes in full sun, while a little afternoon shade benefits it in hot, dry regions by keeping roots cool and moist. If your only bright window faces south, that's perfect for geum 'scarlet tempest' — same window any aroid would fry on.

Watering

Watering geum 'scarlet tempest': when the top 2-3 cm of soil is dry; keep evenly moist in summer. The number that matters isn't the day of the week — it's how dry the top 2-3 cm of the pot feels. A finger in the soil tells you more than a watering app. After every watering, tip the saucer. Likes consistently moist soil and resents drying out, which curtails flowering. Avoid waterlogging, especially over winter, which can rot the crown.

Soil and pot

Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' grows best in fertile, moisture-retentive, well-drained soil. Thrives in humus-rich soil that holds moisture yet drains freely; tolerates most pH levels. Add organic matter and grit to heavy clay to keep the crown dry in winter. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' sits happiest at around Ambient outdoor humidity humidity and -29 to 27°C (-20 to 81°F). A hardy border and container perennial with no special humidity needs; good airflow helps keep foliage healthy. If you keep the room above year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed geum 'scarlet tempest' sparingly. Moderate feeder. Mulch with compost and apply a balanced fertiliser in spring; container plants benefit from regular liquid feeding through the growing season to sustain the long bloom. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on geum 'scarlet tempest' in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Drought stress — Dry soil scorches leaves and shortens flowering. Keep evenly moist, mulch in summer and water container plants regularly.
• Reduced rebloom without deadheading — Spent flowers slow further blooming. Deadhead regularly to keep the long display going.
• Crown rot in winter wet — Waterlogged soil rots the crown. Plant in free-draining ground and improve heavy clay with grit and organic matter.
• Tired clumps over time — Vigour can fade after several years. Divide every two to three years in spring or autumn to rejuvenate.

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring or autumn to keep this cultivar true to type; seed will not reliably reproduce the parent's flower form and colour. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' is mildly toxic to pets. Geum is not individually listed on the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants database, so its pet status is unconfirmed; treat with caution and verify with a vet. As an ornamental perennial, ingestion may cause mild gastrointestinal upset, so keep pets from grazing the foliage and flowers. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' deep-dive guides

Every aspect of geum 'scarlet tempest' care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' watering schedule
• Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' light requirements
• Best soil mix for geum 'scarlet tempest'
• Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' fertilizing guide
• When to repot geum 'scarlet tempest'
• How to propagate geum 'scarlet tempest'
• Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' growth rate & size
• Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' cold hardiness
• Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' temperature & humidity
• Is geum 'scarlet tempest' toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is geum 'scarlet tempest' toxic to cats?
• Is geum 'scarlet tempest' toxic to dogs?
• Getting geum 'scarlet tempest' to bloom

Featured in these plant shortlists

Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' qualifies for 4 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best flowering houseplants — Indoor plants grown for their blooms — selected from the flowering species in Growli’s plant-care library.
• Best small & tabletop houseplants — Compact houseplants that stay under about 40 cm — desk, shelf and windowsill plants that never outgrow a small space.
• Best houseplants for full sun — Houseplants that want direct sun — the species for a hot south or west-facing windowsill where shade-lovers scorch.
• Best houseplants for a cool room — Houseplants that tolerate cool conditions down to about 10°C — for an unheated spare room, hallway, porch or a home kept cool.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

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Geum 'Scarlet Tempest' is also commonly called Scarlet Tempest avens.

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