Alphabetical Plant Listing

Geranium maculatum (Spotted Cranesbill)

Spotted Cranesbill, Wild Cranesbill, Alum Bloom, Alum Root, American Kino Root, Chocolate Flower, North American Crowfoot, North American Wild Cranesbill, Rock Weed, Sailor's Knot, Shame-Face, Hardy Geraniums


Useful for difficult dry shade conditions, Geranium maculatum (Cranesbill) is a clump-forming perennial which produces a profusion of upward-facing, saucer-shaped, pale lilac-pink flowers, adorned with a creamy-white center and faint veins. The blossoms are held well above the foliage of shiny, medium green leaves, which are divided into 5-7 diamond-shaped lobes and turn fawn and red in fall. The flowers are followed by distinctive, beaked seed capsules which give rise to the common name of crane's bill. This Cranesbill is a perfect addition to rock gardens, borders, or meadows.

  • Blooming for 6-7 weeks from late spring to early summer, and sometimes reblooming in the fall, this hardy geranium is reliable and easy to grow.
  • Grows from a compact rootstock up to 18-24 in. tall (45-60 cm) and spreads up to 12-18 in. (30-45 cm). This Geranium seeds readily and will naturalize in optimum growing conditions.
  • Performs best in full sun or part shade, in average, light to medium moisture, well-drained soils. Tolerates poor soils. Drought tolerant once established.
  • Attractive to bees, flies, beetles, and butterflies, but deer and rabbit resistant!
  • A great addition to beds and borders. Perfect for rock gardens, prairies, meadows, or cottage gardens. Effective ground cover.
  • Watch for vine weevil, sawflies, powdery mildew, or downy mildew
  • Remove flowered stems and old leaves to encourage the production of fresh leaves and flowers. Foliage may decline after flowering in hot summer climates and may be lightly sheared back to revitalize.
  • Propagate by seed, basal softwood cuttings in early to mid-spring or division in spring
  • Native to North America

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Requirements

Hardiness 3 – 8
Heat Zones 1 – 8
Climate Zones 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Geranium - Cranesbills
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Late)
Summer (Early)
Height 1' – 2' (30cm – 60cm)
Spread 1' – 2' (30cm – 60cm)
Spacing 18" (45cm)
Water Needs Low, Average
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Showy
Native Plants United States, Midwest, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Northeast, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Southeast, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Southwest, Oklahoma
Tolerance Deer, Drought, Rabbit, Dry Soil
Attracts Bees, Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds and Borders, Ground Covers
Garden Styles Gravel and Rock Garden, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow

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gonepaddling / 123RF Stock Photo

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.


Requirements

Hardiness 3 – 8
Heat Zones 1 – 8
Climate Zones 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Geranium - Cranesbills
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Late)
Summer (Early)
Height 1' – 2' (30cm – 60cm)
Spread 1' – 2' (30cm – 60cm)
Spacing 18" (45cm)
Water Needs Low, Average
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Showy
Native Plants United States, Midwest, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Northeast, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Southeast, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Southwest, Oklahoma
Tolerance Deer, Drought, Rabbit, Dry Soil
Attracts Bees, Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds and Borders, Ground Covers
Garden Styles Gravel and Rock Garden, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow

Great Plant Combination Ideas with Geranium - Cranesbills

Guides with Geranium - Cranesbills

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