Geranium Sirak

Description

Geranium ‘Sirak’ – cranesbill

Botanical name: Geranium ‘Sirak’
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: Deeply divided, softly hairy, lobed green leaves; deciduous
Flowers: Large, clear lilac-pink saucer-shaped flowers with fine darker veining and a paler eye, over a long season from early summer (June–August)
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 ‘Sirak’ is a fine cranesbill with large, clear lilac-pink veined flowers over a long summer season. Easy, reliable and free-flowering, it is superb for cottage, mixed and wildlife borders.

GardenAdvice notes

An excellent and rather under-used cranesbill, ‘Sirak’ bears large, clear lilac-pink saucer-shaped flowers, finely veined and paler-eyed, over a generous and unusually long summer season, above bushy mounds of softly hairy divided foliage. Easy, reliable and thoroughly hardy, it flowers longer than many of the old flush-flowering cranesbills, and is much loved by bees.

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, and beneath roses and shrubs, where its large clear lilac-pink flowers and long season blend beautifully with other perennials.

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

‘Sirak’ is an under-appreciated cranesbill — large, clear lilac-pink veined flowers over a notably long season, on an easy, reliable plant. If it starts to look tired and sprawling after the main flush, shear the whole thing hard to the ground: it responds with fresh clean foliage and usually a second flush of flowers.

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