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Herbaceous Perennial

Geranium phaeum 'Rose Madder'

dusky cranesbill 'Rose Madder'

'Rose Madder' is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial, to 60cm high, with deciduous, lobed, green leaves blotched with purplish-brown. Reflexed flowers, brownish-pink shading to dark reddish-pink then lavender-grey at the centre, appear from late spring to early summer

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full shade
Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

West–facing or South–facing or North–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Geraniaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Geranium can be annuals, biennials and perennials, herbaceous or evergreen, with rounded, usually palmately lobed or divided leaves, and lax inflorescences of rounded, 5-petalled flowers
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in sun or shade in moist but well-drained soil; good in damp shade

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring, or by basal softwood cuttings taken in spring and rooted with bottom heat

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
Flower borders and beds
Underplanting of roses and shrubs

Pruning

Cut back flowered stems and old leaves to encourage fresh growth

Pests

May be susceptible to capsid bug, geranium sawfly, vine weevil, slugs and snails

Diseases

May be susceptible to a rust, downy mildews, leafy gall, a virus and powdery mildews

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