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Plant Notebook
Geraniums

by Helen Williams
The family of Geraniaceae includes hardy geraniums, Erodium and pelargonium. Geraniums are often confused with the frost tender pelargonium. The genus Geranium , also known as cranesbills, have some 420 species and cultivar names. Fortunately for the gardener the selection available is much fewer and are the best of the cultivars.

Geraniums are tough, resilient; usually winter dormant though a few are evergreen and a long lived perennial. They are mainly clump forming and come in three sizes - small, medium and large! They grow from 23 cm to 60 cm in height. There are trailing and scrambling forms ensuring there is one for every situation.

They are ideal for borders and beds in a sunny spot. They do grow in part shade and there are a few shade lovers eg. G phaeum. Some geraniums are invaluable as weed proof ground cover.

Foliage
The attractive foliage is another feature, which makes geraniums valuable. The rounded leaves are split into divisions, usually five, toothed and split in a variety of ways. The colour and texture also varies with some blotched and some hairy. A few are scented - G.robertianum, G. macrorrhizum, G. cantabrigense, G. cataractarum. Some geraniums provide great autumn colour.

The phaeum group are more or less evergreen with purple or maroon markings on their leaves. The "Reiter" cultivars have dark brown-purple foliage and are freely available in nurserys. The New Zealand native G.traversii var.elegans has beautiful silver leaves.

Scrambling G.Johnstons Blue

Scrambling G.Johnstons Blue

Flowers
The flowers are jewel-like in intensity of colour and produced over long period in great profusion. The flowers in some species have no basal leaves with leaves being borne on flowering stems. Flowering times vary from September through to March. Colours vary from white, blue through to purples and many shades of pink.

Habit is neat mound with finely cut leaves. Flowers are white through to pink and purple over a long period. Useful in sunny borders and beds and larger rock gardens. Propagation by division.

Clump forming ground cover of G.sanguineum



Care
Geraniums are hardy with standing frosts and are tolerant of most conditions. They are not fussy plants although some alpine species dislike wet feet and tall varieties such as G. psilostemon may require staking.

To cut down after flowering or not depends on the situation and when. In the herbaceous border gardeners often cut to the ground after the main flush of flowers.

Propagation is usually by division and by doing this every few years and replanting in enriched soil reinvigorates plants. Geraniums can also be grown from seed however this is much slower than by division. A few hybridize readily and G. traversii,G. maderense and G. phaeum are in this group.

G.macrorrhizum

G.macrorrhizum
A clump forming almost imprenetrable ground cover with aromatic leaves. Flowers over a long period with colours ranging from white through pink. Very tolerant of dry and shade. Propagation by division or rhizome cuttings. Some develop autumn colour.


G.magnificum
G.magnificum
Great impact plant with large bluish-purple flowers on large hairy leaves. Flowering is not recurrent. Propogation by division. 60cm


G.Bertie Crug
G.Bertie Crug
A small spreading or trailing plant with bright pink flowers over a long period. Foliage is an attractive glossy greenish-brown. (G.endressii x G. papuanum)


G. traversii var.elegans
G. traversii var.elegans
A New Zealand native forming a small compact mound of grey leaves with delicate pink flower over a long period. Propagation by seed.


G.phaeum

G. phaeum
Also known as The Mourning Widow. A tall geranium best in the middle of the border or in the wild garden. Flowering period is early and long with colour varying from blue to very dark purple with starry centre. Leaves often have an attractive brown blotch. Sun or shade. Self seeds freely. 76-90cm


G.pratense Mrs Kendall Clark

G. pratense Mrs Kendall Clark
A famous plant in a famous garden Sissinghurst this geranium has lovely pale violet-blue flowers with prominent clear veins.


G.endressii

G.endressii
A mounding spreading plant with rose pink flowers over a long period. Excellent ground cover and in garden beds and borders especially in the wild garden. Sun or shade. Propagation by division. 38cm


G.psilostemon

G.psilostemon
This magnificant plant was photographed at Crathes, Scotland and began a love affair with geraniums. A very tall plant (90cm)with stunning magenta-pink flowers with an indigo eye. Best in sun in the middle to back of the border. Propagation by division and seed.


G.ibericum jubatum

G.ibericum jubatum
Photographed in Sissinghurst garden this geranium has large hairy leaves almost grey with blue veined flowers in mid summer. Propagation by division and seed.


G.pratense

G.pratense
This plant was grown from RHS seed, tall branching stems, handsome greyish leaves,self seeds. 60cm.


G.palmatum

G.palmatum
This geranium has large shiny aromatic leaves and does take some space. It is freely flowering with bright reddish-purple flowers on hairy flower stalks. It seeds very freely in my garden but is easy to remove!

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Last revised 20 Nov '11