Geranium sang’ Striatum

Description

Geranium sanguineum ‘Striatum’ – bloody cranesbill

Botanical name: Geranium sanguineum var. striatum
Common names: Bloody cranesbill
Family: Geraniaceae
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial
Habit: Low, spreading, mat-forming
Pot size: 2–3 litre pot
Eventual size: Approx. 15–20cm tall × 40cm spread
Foliage: Finely divided, deeply cut, small green leaves, colouring rich red in autumn; deciduous
Flowers: Delicate pale shell-pink saucer-shaped flowers, prettily pencilled with darker crimson veins, over a long season from early summer (June–September)
Scent: Not notably scented
Aspect / light: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Well-drained; poor to average; drought-tolerant; tolerates lime; 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 sanguineum ‘Striatum’ is a low, spreading bloody cranesbill with delicate pale pink, crimson-veined flowers all summer, and fine red autumn foliage. Drought-tolerant and superb for edging and gravel.

GardenAdvice notes

One of the prettiest of the bloody cranesbills, this low, spreading form bears delicate pale shell-pink saucer-shaped flowers, each finely pencilled with darker crimson veins, over a long summer season, above a mat of finely cut foliage that colours rich red in autumn. Tough and drought-tolerant on poor, dry, sunny soils, it is a charming and thoroughly easy edging and rock-garden plant.

Growing & planting

Plant in spring or autumn in well-drained 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

Low-maintenance and drought-tolerant. Shear it over after the main flush to tidy it and encourage more flowers. Cut down old growth in late winter, after enjoying the autumn leaf colour. Water only while establishing. 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 for edging, the front of sunny borders, gravel and rock gardens, tumbling over walls and on dry banks, where its delicate veined flowers and rich red autumn colour bring a long season of quiet charm.

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

This is one of the daintiest cranesbills — pale shell-pink flowers finely pencilled with crimson veins, produced for months over a low mat of foliage that turns rich red in autumn. It’s tough and drought-tolerant, ideal tumbling over a wall or edging a gravel path. Shear it over after the main flush to keep it neat and flowering.

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