In nature, this wonderful perennial of the Rosaceae family is represented by about fifty species. Some of them have been introduced into culture, others can be seen as a weed on all continents of the globe with the exception of Antarctica, and still others are on the verge of extinction.
In everyday life, the plant is often called "Avens", "snake root", "vivishnik". People use rhizomes, foliage and flowers of some varieties in cooking, traditional medicine and even in industry. Consider a specific photo, what is a gravilat, which species and varieties are recommended for cultivation in the garden, and which are found in the names of drugs.
Urban
Gravilat urban (Géum urbánum) does not grow above 60 cm. In adverse dry conditions, its stems barely reach 30 centimeters in height.
Did you know? In Sweden, there has long been a tradition to add the dry roots of urban urban gravel to beer, white wine and vermouth. It is believed that this component protects drinks from excess acid and gives them a unique taste and aroma.The perennial has a very thick unbranched root, slightly pubescent foliage, straight sprouts with a soft white pile at the ends. Basal leaf plates have elongated petioles and consist of 3-9 leaves in the shape of an elongated oval with an unevenly toothed margin.
Single flowers appear at the end of spring and continue to unfold throughout the summer. Externally, they are small, usually lemon or bright yellow, with 5 petals, on which a rare long light pile is noticeable. In early autumn, seeds ripen, which resemble a small shaggy nutlet with a hook-shaped long nose.The plant contains tannins, glycoside, essential oils, ascorbic acid, vitamin A, starch and gums. These components have a beneficial effect on the human body, therefore, people harvest culture as a medical raw material. Drugs based on it help to strengthen the immune system, heal wounds, stop bleeding, and also have a diaphoretic and astringent effect. 
Important! Gravilat grass is harvested in spring, when the first flowers appear, and the root is dug up before flowering or late autumn.
River
River Gravilat (Géum rivále) belongs to endangered species. You can find it in the acidic forest lands, where it is always damp, soft and abundant in nutrients. Also, perennial is found on the banks of water bodies and in coastal thickets. The grass is not recommended to tear, because it is listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.
The Red Book also includes: crocuses, snowdrops, backache, bathing suit, petilated hydrangea, multiple-fern fern, multiflorum cotyles, two-leaved dacha, goat willow.
This species, like other brethren, has a powerful creeping root system, upright maroon stalks with light branching and a dense pile. The length of sprouts, depending on the conditions of germination, reaches from 25 to 80 cm. The leaves of the river gravilatum are also shaggy, with five legs, with uneven edges and long petioles.
Flowers drooping, resembling a small bell with wide purple-brown petals. Buds open somewhere in the late days of May and fade away after 20 days. In the middle of summer a small purple achene begins to ripen on the long peduncles with pubescent elongated fruits. 
Did you know? Gravilat is a good honey plant and a natural insecticide. Its roots are used in industry for the manufacture of black, red and brown paint, as well as crushed roots are added to marinades and canned food as a spice.
Tamer
Gravilat tame (Geum rivale) is one of the few species that are used for the decoration of garden ponds. Often perennial planted as a shading background culture, because its small flowers themselves do not cause interest. 
Externally, this stocky plant with straight tall stems of red and burgundy color and wrinkled basal feathery leaves. Culture begins to bloom in late spring. Then on the peduncles, which often develop up to 70 centimeters in height, small pink-cream flowers with red cups appear. When gravilatum blooms, splayed pistils remain on long legs. Over time, they form a shaggy seed.
The plant reproduces exclusively by the seed method. The spread of grains is facilitated by people and animals, since the long noses of the fruit easily cling to the shoes, clothes and wool of pets. For the species characteristic abundant self-seeding. 
Perennial is distinguished by its simplicity. In order to grow it in gardening conditions, it is necessary to have well-lit and semi-shady places with a sufficient amount of micronutrients and moisture in the soil.
Important! In the initial phases of the growing season, the domesticate gravilate is a rounded hardwood rosette that successfully hibernates. In the spring, the old foliage dies off, and in its place new elongated leafy plates appear, which fall to fall. In their place again grows the so-called winter version.The wild culture will hardly decorate your garden. For green scenery more suitable varieties:
- "Album" - is allocated with white flowers, with a diameter up to 2,5 cm.
- "Leonard's Variety" - attracts with abundant scarlet flowers.
- "Lionel Sox" - characterized by yellow.
Aleppo
Gravilat Aleppo (Geum aleppicum) known to many herbalists as a healing raw material. It is harvested in deciduous forests to stop bleeding, reduce fever, treat insomnia, epilepsy, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, inflammation of the throat and mouth, and abscesses. The culinary specialists liked the grated dry roots, which have a spicy clove-cinnamon flavor. Pleasant powder is added to the pastry, and young leaves - in soups and salads. 
You can learn the grass from a distance, as its sturdy stems grow to 70 centimeters in height. Outwardly, they are straight, with a slightly reddish tinge and thick, hard pile. The leaves are basal, fastened on long petioles, consist of 3-6 pairs of wedge-shaped, strongly pubescent leaves. In May, numerous yellow flowers with a diameter up to 25 mm appear on the perennial long peduncles. 
Important! Herbal medicine is contraindicated for people with thrombophlebitis and arterial thrombosis.
Fori
Fori Gravilat (Geum fauriei) is a very tall, branched perennial with a strong short rhizome, basal pinnate foliage on the tuft-tufted cuttings. In the last decade of May there appear small light yellow buds with a diameter of up to 15 mm. Fruits globose, ripen in mid-summer. 
In the wild, the species is found in temperate latitudes in North America, as well as in Japan, China, Kamchatka, and the Kuril Islands. The perennial has a high frost resistance and is completely undemanding to the conditions of cultivation.
Mountain
Mountain Gravilat (Geum montanum) is common in European countries. This is a herbaceous perennial plant, which is characterized by low stems (up to 30 cm), rough wrinkled foliage and a cup-shaped yellow flowers. At full disclosure, buds in diameter barely reach 2.5 cm. They appear at the end of spring and flourish in mid-June. 
Important! Tibetan traditional medicine recommends to remove calves and corns with the help of crushed fresh roots of gravilat.
Florists often sow perennials in mixborders and rock gardens. At home cultivation, gravilat prefers sunny areas, does not like crowding, easily winters at 30-degree frosts and does not require special care, which attracts flora lovers. 
Hybrid
Gravilat hybrid (Geum x hybridum) is a conditional species that combines all piece-produced varieties and plant forms. Here you can find descendants of almost all known species, but most often there are derivatives of Chilean and bright red. 
Each hybrid is unique. Common in them only low frost resistance, undemanding of the soil and growing conditions. This group of perennials fell in love with gardeners for the elementary care and a wide range that will satisfy every taste.
Popular varieties are:
- Golden West - valued for large yellow flowers with oval wide petals.
- Fire Opal - stands out fiery purple double flower buds.
- Ruby - is characterized by medium-sized carmine flowers.
- Gladys Perry - contrasts favorably in mixborders due to the set of intense red colors.
- Mrs. J. Bredshaw - is the most promising and sought-after variety, because it has a luxurious terry flowers of pale scarlet color.
Important! All gravity reacts poorly to acidic soils. In home gardens, the problem is solved with the help of well-known pushonki, dolomite flour, cement dust or ordinary old plaster. To neutralize the environment per square meter of the selected area you need to make from 150 to 300 g of substance.
Chilean
Chilian Gravilat (Geum chiloense) is characterized by developed shoots that stretch in length up to 60 cm, with a socket of large non-pinnate leaf plates, a strong peduncle and purple-orange buds. The shape of the flowers is very similar to small roses. In diameter, they reach 3 cm. 
Perennial blooms in the last weeks of June and pleases with beautiful paniculate buds until late autumn. This is probably the most decorative of all the above listed. Due to the gorgeous foliage, the plant looks good both at the beginning of the growing season and at its peak. The variety was cultivated about 200 years ago. Modern flower growers, thanks to the efforts of breeders, have a large selection of large-flowered varieties for landscaping their plot:
- Lady Shtradeten - blooms yellow full buds.
- Fireball - has a unique rich fiery buds, each flower in diameter reaches 4 cm, flowering lasts for 2 months.
- Goldball - this perennial stands out golden buds, bloom which lasts about one and a half months.
Important! Medicinal raw materials of a gravilat can be stored no more than 1 year.
Rossa
Gravilat Rossa (Geum rossii) differs from its counterparts in increased genetic endurance. In the wild, the plant survives among the rocky North American meadows and even the arctic tundra. Outwardly, it is a medium-branch bush, up to 30 cm high, with dense fleecy stems, a large rhizome and white flowers. The length of the buds reaches 1 cm. 
The plant is well adapted in rock gardens, not demanding to soil conditions, prefers to grow in well-drained areas. When dense planting forms a thick spherical group, up to 35 cm. Another advantageous difference of the form is resistance to frost - the culture can survive the winter even with a 35-degree cold.
Triflorum
Gravilat triflorum (Geum triflorum, Sieversia triflora) in the wild nature lives in wet swampy and rocky areas. Externally, perennial is a dense low shrub up to 30 cm wide. 
The specificity of the form lies in the drooping bell-shaped flowers of rich yellow-red tones. The petals are covered with long, strongly pubescent burgundy sepals. Buds are formed at the top of the peduncle. Their number varies from 6 to 12.
Did you know? Initially, the plant was called karyophyllate, which was associated with the pharmaceutical terminology used by herbalists of the Middle Ages. Over time, the people simplified the incomprehensible word, leaving behind it the accustomed "gravilat."
In landscape gardening design the plant is used for framing borders, rabatok, as well as for creating flower arrangements on lawns. Excellent neighbors for perennials are phloxes, peonies, catchment bells, carnations. In addition, in the garden with the participation of gravilat you can create a pharmacy garden.
