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Geranium, Spotted

Herbaceous Perennial Flower, Wildflower

Also known as Alumroot, Spotted Cranesbill, Storksbill, Alum-blo, Wild Cranesbill
Geranium maculatum
Geraniaceae Family

A beautiful North American woodland wildflower, Spotted Geranium has glossy lobed and toothed medium green leaves and pink to violet blooms with white centers. A perfect choice for naturalizing a moist setting.

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Site and Plant Characteristics
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Growing Information
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Varieties
Site Characteristics
Sunlight:
  • full sun
  • part shade

Soil conditions:

  • requires damp soil
  • Tolerates poor drainage

Hardiness zones:

  • 4 to 8

Special locations:

  • xeriscapes
Plant Traits

Lifecycle: perennial

Ease-of-care: easy

Height: 2 to 2.5 feet

Spread: 1 to 1.5 feet

Bloom time:

  • late spring
  • early summer

Flower color:

  • violet
  • pink

Foliage color: medium green

Foliage texture: medium

Shape:

  • cushion, mound or clump
  • upright

Shape in flower: flower stalks with upright spikes

The blooms are borne in loose clusters on erect stems.
Special Considerations
Special characteristics:
  • non-aggressive
  • non-invasive
  • native to North America - Native to eastern North American woodlands.
  • evergreen - Plants are semi-evergreen.
Growing Information
How to plant:

Propagate by seed, division or separation - Divide in the spring. Allow seedheads to develop for self-seeding in the garden, or sow seeds indoors in late winter using moist soil at a temperature of 55 to 60F. Purchased seeds should have been pre-treated to break dormancy. If not, place them in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 weeks, then sow as described above.

Maintenance and care:
Remove faded flowerheads.

More growing information: How to Grow Perennials

Pests:
Leaf miners
Slugs and snails
Diseases:
Powdery mildew
Downy mildew
Botrytis
Bacterial blight
Cercospora leaf spot
Ramularia leaf spot
Varieties
'Album': 2' tall plants with pure white blooms

'Helen Gallagher': 2 to 3' tall plants with pure white blooms in late spring.

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