Geranium / Cranesbill

Perennial Geraniums prefer a fairly rich soil (add compost!) that will not dry out too quickly. They can be planted in full sun to partial shade.

Perennial Geraniums are commonly called Cranesbill or Hardy Geraniums. They will return year after year in zones 5 (4 with good snowcover) and are offered in purple, blue, pink and white shades. The annual Geranium is actually not a geranium at all, but rather a Pelargonium, used for containers and bedding plants, but they will only over-winter over in zones 10 and 11. Apparently, the naming problem occurred in the 17th century when the first pelargoniums were brought to Europe and were called geraniums because of the similarity in their seed pods and foliage.

Perennial Geraniums will spread and form expanding clumps (especially a G. macrophyllum). This makes them nice around shrubs and small trees or on a slope. Clumps may be divided into halves or quarters every three to five years as needed/wanted.

Once established, perennial Geraniums are fairly drought tolerant. See our tips for watering to help any perennial to be self-sufficient.