Geranium magnificum Rosemoor

Description

Geranium x magnificum ‘Rosemoor’ – cranesbill

Botanical name: Geranium x magnificum ‘Rosemoor’
Common names: Cranesbill
Family: Geraniaceae
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial
Habit: Bushy, spreading, mound-forming
Pot size: 2–3 litre pot
Eventual size: Approx. 45–60cm tall × 60cm spread
Foliage: Large, hairy, deeply lobed green leaves, colouring red and orange in autumn; deciduous
Flowers: A generous flush of large, rich violet-purple saucer-shaped flowers with bold darker veining, in early summer (June–July)
Scent: Not notably scented
Aspect / light: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Most soils; moist but well-drained, fertile; any pH
Hardiness: RHS H7 (very hardy, below −20°C); USDA zones 4–8
Exposure: Sheltered or exposed; very tolerant
Native range: Garden form; hardy geraniums are native across Europe and Asia
Toxicity / pet & child safety: Generally considered non-toxic to people and pets

Geranium ‘Rosemoor’ is a fine selected magnificum cranesbill with rich violet-purple, boldly veined flowers in early summer, and good autumn leaf colour. Tough, sterile and reliable for borders.

GardenAdvice notes

A selected form of the excellent Geranium x magnificum, ‘Rosemoor’ gives a generous early-summer flush of large, richly violet-purple saucer-shaped flowers, boldly veined in a darker shade, above hairy lobed foliage that colours well in autumn. Like the parent it is sterile, so never self-seeds, and it is tough, long-lived and thoroughly dependable in sun or partial shade.

Growing & planting

Plant in spring or autumn in most soils soil in full sun to partial shade — hardy geraniums are among the easiest and most adaptable of all perennials. Space about 45cm apart. Water while establishing.

Care & maintenance

The single most useful thing you can do is give it a hard cut-back once the first flush of flowers fades — shear the whole plant right down to near ground level. It responds with a fresh mound of clean foliage and, usually, a second flush of flowers. Cut down old growth in late winter. Lift and divide congested clumps every few years in spring.

Propagation

• Division: Lift and divide established clumps in spring, as growth begins.

Pests & diseases

Generally trouble-free and healthy — hardy geraniums are among the most reliable of all perennials. Slugs may graze new growth, and powdery mildew or rust can occur in dry spells. Otherwise easy.

Uses in the garden

Superb in cottage, mixed and wildlife borders, as groundcover, on banks and beneath roses and shrubs, where its rich violet-purple flush and autumn foliage colour bring two seasons of value.

Wildlife value

Hardy geraniums are excellent for pollinators: their open, saucer-shaped flowers are very attractive to bees, hoverflies and other beneficial insects, often over a long season.

Toxicity & safety

Hardy geraniums are generally regarded as non-toxic to people and pets. Note that they are quite different from pelargoniums (the tender bedding and pot ‘geraniums’), which are toxic to cats and dogs.

GardenAdvice tip

‘Rosemoor’ is a fine selection of the magnificum cranesbills — a generous flush of boldly veined violet-purple in early summer, followed by good autumn leaf colour, on a tough, sterile, long-lived plant. As with all this group, shear it hard to the ground once the first flush fades and it will throw up a fresh mound of clean foliage.

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