Geranium versicolor
Pencilled crane's bill
Also known as Geranium striatum
- Height × spread
- 0.45m × 0.45m
- Position
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Colder than -20C (RHS H7)
- Flowers
- Spring, Summer
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
This plant has light, grey-green foliage with broad lobes having rounded teeth. It retains its looks over the winter. There are pretty, small, delicate-pink, flowers that are patterned by fine magenta veins. The small flowers have a distinctive trumpet shape and are held rather vertically. It makes good ground cover and is shade tolerant . It should flower all summer going into autumn though the main flush occurs in late spring. This reaches 45cm (18in) height with equivalent spread.
- Flower colour
- Pink
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Dome
- Height
- 0.45m
- Spread
- 0.45m
- Season of interest
- Spring, Summer
- Flowers in
- Spring, Summer
- Evergreen
- Evergreen
- Garden style
- Seaside garden, Cottage garden
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun, tolerates part shade, tolerates light shade
- Soil type
- All types
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Well drained soil, Dry soil, Drought resistant
- Hardiness
- Colder than -20C (RHS H7)
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Use for
- 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.