Mountain avens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mountain avens |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Dryas (plant)
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| Species: |
octopetala
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| Global distribution | |
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Synonyms list
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The Mountain Avens (scientific name: Dryas octopetala) is a beautiful flowering plant that grows in cold, mountainous areas. It's also known as the eightpetal mountain-avens or white dryas. This plant belongs to the Rosaceae family, which also includes roses and strawberries.
It's a small plant that spreads out low to the ground, like a carpet. It stays green all year round. The name octopetala comes from Greek words: octo means eight, and petalon means petal. This name describes its flowers, which usually have eight petals. This is special because most plants in the rose family have five petals. Sometimes, you might even see Mountain Avens flowers with up to 16 petals!
The Mountain Avens is very important in some places. It is the official flower of the Northwest Territories in Canada. It is also the national flower of Iceland.
Contents
What Does Mountain Avens Look Like?
The Mountain Avens has strong, woody stems that twist and turn. These stems grow close to the ground and can put down roots, helping the plant spread. Its leaves are smooth and green on top. Underneath, they are covered in soft, white, woolly hairs.
Flowers and Seeds
The flowers grow on stalks that are about 3 to 10 centimeters (1 to 4 inches) long. Each flower has eight creamy white petals, which is why it's called octopetala. After the flower blooms, the part that holds the seeds changes. It grows white, feathery hairs. These hairs twist together at first, looking shiny. Then, they spread out into a fluffy ball. The wind easily carries these feathery seeds away, helping the plant spread to new places.
Where Does Mountain Avens Grow?
The Mountain Avens grows in many cold, mountainous regions around the world. It especially likes areas with limestone rocks. You can find it across the entire Arctic region. It also grows in the mountains of Scandinavia, Iceland, the Alps, and other mountain ranges in Europe.
In North America, it is common in Alaska. It also grows throughout the Canadian Rockies and as far south as Colorado in the Rocky Mountains. This plant prefers dry, rocky places where snow melts early in the year. It often forms a unique plant community on soils that are rich in calcium.
Mountain Avens and Earth's Climate History
The Mountain Avens is very important for understanding Earth's past climate. Scientists have named several cold periods in Earth's history after this plant: the Younger Dryas, Older Dryas, and Oldest Dryas.
During these very cold times, a lot of Dryas octopetala pollen was found in ice cores and soil samples. This tells us that the plant was much more common back then. Large parts of the northern world that are now covered by forests were once tundra during these cold periods. Tundra is a treeless plain where plants like the Mountain Avens thrive.
How People Use Mountain Avens
Dryas octopetala is grown in gardens in places with mild climates. People use it as a groundcover plant, which means it spreads out and covers the ground. It's also popular in alpine gardens or rock gardens because it's tough and beautiful.
This plant has even won an award called the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Sometimes, its leaves are used to make a type of herbal tea.
Gallery
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Seed head
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See also
In Spanish: Dryas octopetala para niños
