Geranium 'Elke'
Bloody cranesbill
Also known as Geranium sanguineum 'Elke', Geranium san. 'Elke'
- Height × spread
- 0.2m × 0.45m
- Position
- Tolerates full sun, tolerates part shade, tolerates light shade
- Hardiness
- Colder than -20C (RHS H7)
- Flowers
- Spring, Summer, Autumn
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
A charming low-growing geranium that has characterful flowers. The rounded flowers have a neat appearance. They are coloured a vivid pink-purple with paler, often white tints round the petal edges and a similarly pale heart. The flowers have venous red veins running down the petals as well. The leaves are overall rounded but are deeply dissected being cut almost to their centre, coloured rich green. This produces some flowers all summer through, going into autumn. It makes a low spreading mound and is excellent in sunny positions.
- Flower colour
- Pink
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Autumn foliage
- Red-bronze
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Dome
- Height
- 0.2m
- Spread
- 0.45m
- Season of interest
- Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Flowers in
- Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Evergreen
- Evergreen
- Garden style
- Wild flower meadow, Seaside garden, Gravel garden, Cottage garden
- Sun or shade
- Tolerates full sun, tolerates part shade, tolerates light shade
- Soil type
- Chalk
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil, Drought resistant
- Hardiness
- Colder than -20C (RHS H7)
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Use for
- Ground cover, Bee attraction
- Maintenance
- Easycare – low/no maintenance
- Hazards
- No
Spring
Spring - late · Outdoors
Feed with slow release fertiliser
Apply a general purpose slow release fertiliser, spreading it around the root area of the plant as it is coming into growth. (Or apply a liquid feed at regular intervals throughout the growing season.)
This is a simple way to provide a nutrient boost as a single annual procedure.
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water in dry periods
Established plants in the ground can cope with 7-10 days of dryness, and shrubs often manage 2 to 3 weeks. Water one section of the garden thoroughly each day rather than a little everywhere. Check plants in pots more often, especially in hot weather.
Spring - early-mid · Planting
Divide when too large
The plant can be divided if it becomes too large or another plant is required. This may involve physically dividing the clump in two, removing offsets or small bulbs or dividing rhizomes. The new plants can be grown in pots or planted in the ground.
Spring-Autumn · Planting
Remove dead leaves
When leaves die they can carefully be detached or cut off at their base to improve the overall appearance of the plant. Be careful not to damage the main stems during this process.
Planting & general
Planting
Deadhead blooms during flowering season
Remove flowers as they turn brown and fade. Snip the stem just below the bloom. This will keep the plant tidy and encourage more flowers.
The removal of spent flowers encourages the plant to produce fresh ones, rather than spend its energy on the development of seeds.