Armenian cranesbill

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; give afternoon shade in hot climates.

Water

Moderate; keep evenly moist while establishing and water during prolonged dry spells. Established plants tolerate brief dry periods but flower best with adequate moisture.

Soil

Moderately fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil; tolerates clay, loam and chalk if drainage is adequate.

Height

3-4 ft (0.9-1.2 m)

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Flowers

Early to midsummer, sometimes continuing into late summer; bright magenta flowers with black centres and dark veins.

Foliage

Large, deeply lobed green leaves form a broad mound; some turn red or orange in autumn before dying back.

Growth

Moderate to fast; forms a substantial clump within a few growing seasons.

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Cold hardy
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   2 ft (0.61 m)

3. After 2 years

   3 ft (0.93 m)

4. After 3 years

   3 ft (1.1 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Fast

• Water new plants regularly through their first growing season, soaking the root area rather than wetting the leaves.
• Apply a thin layer of compost in spring; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding, which encourages floppy growth.
• Mulch in spring to conserve moisture, keeping mulch away from the crown.
• Put twiggy supports or a plant ring in place before the flowering stems lengthen.
• Divide congested clumps in spring or early autumn if flowering declines.

Pruning. After the main flowering flush, cut spent stems and tired foliage back to fresh basal growth; water if the soil is dry to encourage new leaves and possibly a smaller repeat bloom. Remove dead top growth in late winter or early spring before new shoots develop.

Early spring

Remove dead stems and divide established clumps if needed.

Spring

Plant in prepared soil, water thoroughly and mulch with compost.

Late spring

Install discreet supports before stems become tall and tangled.

Summer

Water during dry spells and cut back after the main flowering flush if the plant looks untidy.

Early autumn

Plant or divide where soil remains warm and moist; allow time for rooting before severe frost.

Late autumn

Leave sound dead stems for winter shelter, or remove collapsed foliage if it is smothering nearby plants.

• Plant through the middle or back of a mixed border, allowing its flowering stems to mingle with neighbouring perennials.
• Pair with blue salvias or catmint for a strong magenta-and-blue summer combination.
• Use among shrub roses to soften bare lower stems and extend the border's flowering interest.
• Repeat in informal drifts with ornamental grasses, leaving space for its broad leafy clumps.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, English country, Arts and Crafts, New perennial (prairie), Pollinator garden and Romantic rose garden.

Plant it with: Shrub roses, Catmint, Meadow sage, Lady's mantle, Peonies and Feather reed grass.

Wildlife: Open flowers provide pollen and nectar for bees and other visiting insects.

• Flopping stems: install supports early and avoid excessive fertiliser; too much shade can also weaken growth.
• Powdery mildew: improve air circulation, water the soil during drought and remove badly affected foliage.
• Slugs and snails on young shoots: check emerging growth and use hand-picking or an approved iron phosphate bait as directed.
• Crown or root rot in wet soil: improve drainage or move the plant; avoid sites that remain waterlogged in winter.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses; no part is recognised as a significant poisoning hazard. It is not a food plant. Do not confuse hardy Geranium species with Pelargonium, also commonly called geranium, which can be toxic to pets.

• Ann Folkard geranium (Geranium 'Ann Folkard')

  Has similar black-centred magenta flowers, but its young leaves are conspicuously yellow-green and its long stems scramble through neighbouring plants.

• Bloody cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum)

  Forms a much lower mound with smaller, more finely divided leaves; its flowers lack the conspicuous black centre of Armenian cranesbill.

Geranium comes from the Greek for crane, referring to the beak-shaped fruit, while psilostemon means bare stamen, referring to its hairless staminal filaments.

Propagation. Divide clumps in spring or early autumn, or take basal cuttings in spring. The species can also be raised from seed, though seedlings near other geraniums may be hybrids.

Accepted botanical name

Geranium psilostemon

Native range

North Caucasus, Transcaucasus and Turkey.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.