Hardy geranium (Geranium sanguineum ‘Album’)

Features and Characteristics

Geranium sanguineum, commonly called bloody cranesbill or bloodred geranium, is an herbaceous, clump-forming perennial that typically grows in a mound to 9-12” tall with white-hairy trailing stems spreading over time to as much as 24” wide. It is native to Europe and Asia. It is perhaps the most common species of geranium grown in the U.S. today. Foliage consists of small, shallowly cut, dark green basal leaves and thinner, more deeply cut stem leaves. Solitary flowers (to 1 1/2” diameter) feature five unnotched magenta to purple crimson petals with darker veins. Flowers primarily bloom in May and June with a sparse but variable rebloom occurring throughout summer. After first fall frost, foliage usually turns attractive shades of red.

Genus name comes from the Greek word geranos meaning crane in reference to the fruit which purportedly resembles the head and beak of a crane.

Specific epithet comes from the Latin word sanguineus meaning blood red in reference to the flower color and red autumn leaves of the straight species.

‘Album’ is a clump-forming cultivar which forms a spreading mound of foliage typically rising to 10-18” tall and spreading to 24” wide. It features five-petaled, clear white flowers and small, deeply-lobed, dark green leaves. Notwithstanding that this is a white-flowered cultivar, the species is typically called bloody cranesbill in reference to its deep purple/crimson flowers and crane-like seed heads.