Practical
Plants

Geranium sylvaticum

Wood Cranesbill

a perennial member of the Geranium genus in the family Geraniaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
1 m
Spread
0.6 m
Fertility
Self sterile, Bees, Flies, Lepidoptera
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Flies, Lepidoptera

Uses

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A blue dye is obtained from the flowers[9][10]. It is violet[2]. Fugitive[2]. A useful and dense ground cover plant, succeeding in deep shade[5]. It needs weeding for the first year or so[5]. Plants should be spaced about 60cm apart each way[7].

Product or use
Dye

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Soil surface

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain from the Arctic to Spain east to the Caucasus and Siberia.
Habitat
Meadows, hedgebanks, damp woods and mountain rock ledges[3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
permanent shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring or autumn. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in any moderately fertile retentive soil in sun or shade[6].Tolerant of a wide range of soil types and of shade[1]. Plants can be naturalized in meadows[6]. A very cold-tolerant species. tolerating temperatures down to at least -25°c[4]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits[8]. Often self sows freely[5].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.

    ↩1↩2

  3. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

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  4. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

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  5. Royal Horticultural Society. Ground Cover Plants. Cassells. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-304-31089-1

    ↩1↩2↩3

  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  7. Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-460-12609-1

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  8. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

    ↩

  9. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

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  10. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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