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Geranium pyrenaicum

hedgerow Crane's-bill

Geraniaceae

Europe, the Mediterranean, and southwestern Asia

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Container Friendly

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 5–9

Overview

Geranium pyrenaicum is a short-lived, clump-forming perennial often grown or behaving as a biennial, 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) tall and 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) wide, with softly hairy, branching stems. The rounded leaves are 1-3 inches (2.5-8 cm) across, divided about halfway into five to nine lobes, forming a basal clump with smaller leaves up the stems. From late spring through summer it carries many small flowers about 0.5-0.7 inch (12-18 mm) across, in shades of pink to purple, each with five deeply notched petals. The flowers are followed by the beaked seed capsules typical of cranesbills, which fling their seeds outward as they dry. It grows in hedge banks, meadows, lawns, roadsides, and waste ground, mainly on fertile, well-drained soils. Native to Europe, the Mediterranean, and southwestern Asia, it has naturalized in Britain and North America and self-sows freely as a minor weed. Its long flowering season and ready seeding keep it present in informal plantings.

Native Range

Geranium pyrenaicum is native to Europe, the Mediterranean region, and southwestern Asia. It has naturalized in Britain, North America, and other temperate areas along hedgerows, roadsides, and grassy places.

Suggested Uses

Used in cottage gardens, wildflower and meadow plantings, and informal borders, spaced 12-15 inches (30-38 cm) apart. The long bloom draws bees and hoverflies through the season. Its self-seeding suits relaxed plantings rather than formal beds, and it also grows in containers.

How to Identify

Identify it by rounded leaves cut about halfway into five to nine lobes and many small pink to purple flowers with deeply notched petals on softly hairy, branching stems. Flowering runs over a long season from late spring into autumn. The notched petals and lobed, not deeply dissected, leaves separate it from cut-leaved cranesbills such as Geranium dissectum.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 2'

Width/Spread1' - 1'6"

Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~16 weeks

Spring Summer Fall

Flowering extends over a long season from late spring through summer and into early autumn, with new flowers opening continuously. Each small flower lasts a few days, replaced by beaked seed capsules. The capsules dry and split to scatter seed, fueling steady self-sowing.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

pink to purple

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow in full sun to part shade in moist but free-draining, fertile soil. It tolerates a range of soils and conditions and needs little attention once growing. Hardy in USDA zones 5-9, it overwinters as a low rosette and resumes growth in spring. As a short-lived perennial it relies on self-seeding to persist, so it often moves around a planting over the years. Removing spent flowers before seed sets limits its spread where that is unwanted. No feeding is needed on reasonable soils.

Pruning

The plant can be sheared back after the main flush of flowering to tidy it and encourage a second flush. Spent stems can be cut to the base in late autumn or winter. Removing seed heads reduces self-sowing.