cranesbill
Geranium wlassovianum
USDA zones5 to 8
SunHandles full sun to partial sun
WaterHandles moderate to moist soil
Size18 to 24 inches tall12 to 18 inches wide
- Bloom season
- Summer, autumn
- Bloom color
- Dusky violet with white eyes
- Fall color
- Yes
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Cranesbill (Geranium wlassovianum) is a perennial for borders and ground cover, and it needs little care. It is hardy to USDA zone 5, or down to -20°F (-29°C). This plant likes full or part sun and average to moist soil of most types. Dusky violet flowers with white eyes open from early to late summer and again from early to late autumn. Butterflies visit the blooms, and the leaves color up in fall. It is not a favorite of deer or rabbits, though hungry ones will eat almost anything.
Pairs well with May Night salvia, Festiva Maxima peony, and Ornamental onion.
Native range
Siberia, Mongolia, eastern Russia, and northern China.