Pretticoats Peach Geum

Pretticoats Peach Geum (Geum coccineum 'Pretticoats Peach') is a cottage-garden perennial with frilled, double flowers that shade from peachy orange through pink to yellow, held over a low mat of mostly evergreen leaves. It reaches 30cm tall and 50cm wide, flowers from spring into autumn, and handles cold that would flatten most perennials.

Why you'll love it

• Sunset colours. Each frilly flower moves from peach through pink to yellow, so one plant shows several shades at once.
• A long season. Flowers appear from spring into autumn, generously through the warmer months.
• Very cold hardy. It copes with serious cold, so it suits gardens from the tablelands to the southern states.
• Loved by pollinators. Beneficial insects visit the flowers, which makes it a good addition to a productive or wildlife garden.
• Foliage all year. The leaves are usually evergreen, so the clump keeps ground covered through winter.

Where it works best

Cottage gardens and borders. Plant 40cm apart at the front of a bed, where the frilly flowers can be seen up close.

Groundcover and underplanting. At 40cm apart the clumps join into a continuous low mat, and it suits the ground below trees.

Moist spots. In the wild geum grows in marshy fields and on stream banks, so try it in a wetter part of the garden, but never in waterlogged soil.

Growing Pretticoats Peach Geum in Australia

Position and climate. It grows in most aspects. The sunnier the spot, the more water it needs. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate, Mediterranean and subtropical gardens, but struggles in the very humid tropics of far north Queensland.

Soil. Most soils, except waterlogged ones. It lives longer in light, free-draining soil and tends to be shorter-lived in heavy clay.

Water and feed. Mulch after planting to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature. A native slow release fertiliser in spring keeps the plant healthy.

Pruning. A light trim after the first spring flowering encourages a second flush into summer, or wait and cut back in late autumn. Divide every three to four years by digging up the clump, teasing it into large pieces and replanting them.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Pretticoats Peach Geum as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. It arrives as a small plant, so expect a modest clump at first that builds over the season. Plant it through mulch and water it in well. Dividing the clump every few years gives you free plants for another bed.

Tubes are supplied by our grower and are not always in stock. A sold out tube simply means the grower has none today, and the notify button on the page emails you the day it is available again.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Frost hardy plants
• Bee and butterfly friendly plants
• Perennial plants for a cottage garden
• Groundcover plants

Common questions

Do the flowers really change colour?

Yes. The frilled petals shade from peach through pink into yellow, so you see a blend of tones on the same plant.

How long will it live?

It lasts longer in free-draining, light soil and is shorter-lived in heavy clay. Dividing the plant every three to four years keeps it growing vigorously.

When should I cut it back?

Either give it a light trim after the first spring flowering to encourage a second flush, or wait and cut it back in late autumn.