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| Photo Credit: John Speirs |
| Cranesbill brings a burst of soft spring and summer color to the native garden. |
You probably don’t think about it much when you’re out in the garden, but plants have a history. In fact, each plant you put into your garden comes with a complex account of how it was discovered, named, exported and propagated. Knowing a bit about that history can help you become a better gardener.
The Geranium/Pelargonium story is just one of the many intriguing plant tales out there. While one genus is native to South Africa and the other to the more temperate regions of the world, both were collected by European botanists and naturalists, studied and given one botanical name: Geranium. Now this is where the story starts to get complicated. Generally what’s commonly called a “geranium” is technically now a Pelargonium – the geranium originating in South Africa. This distinction is important so you know what you’re looking at while browsing through a garden center or plant catalog. You’ll likely run into plants with the name “Pelargonium,” and they’ll probably look just like the annual geraniums you find at your local nursery each spring. (They’re usually treated as annuals because they’re not frost-hardy.) The other geranium is what this article really focuses on – and you might come across it under the name “Geranium,” “cranesbill” or “wild geranium.” These beauties are from woodland areas in temperate regions around the world, and many of them are frost-hardy perennials. Cranesbill is a wonderful plant for Northern gardens, and you can find it in a host of species with flower colors including burgundy, blue, royal purple, light pink and white. The pretty little blooms are usually held delicately above the plant’s lovely leaves. No matter the variety you choose, cranesbill adds a mounded splash of spring and summer color with very little maintenance. The plant’s foliage itself is quite pretty, as well – resembling a small maple leaf. The leaves of some species even have different colors or neat patterns. And come fall, the foliage lights up with vivid autumn hues for a little extra depth to your garden just before winter. Most cranesbill varieties adapt well to sunny regions of the garden, while others tolerate some shade. Be sure to read all the information on the plant tag to help you determine which selection is right for you and where to plant it. (Don’t forget to check the height and spread of each, too, as sizes range from variety to variety.)
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