Hardy geranium (Geranium sanguineum 'Album')
Geranium sanguineum 'Album' offers beautiful low-maintenance groundcover with clear white blooms in late spring. This Hardy geranium thrives in sun to part shade.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
The Geranium sanguineum ‘Album’, commonly known as Hardy geranium, is a standout selection prized for its vigorous, low-growing habit and abundant, pristine white spring flowers. This cultivar brightens borders and groundcover areas, creating a delicate textural contrast against its deeply lobed, dark green foliage. It is widely regarded as one of the most reliable and toughest geranium species available for temperate gardens.
As an herbaceous perennial, Geranium sanguineum ‘Album’ establishes a neat, spreading mound that effectively suppresses weeds once established. Gardeners appreciate its resilience; it exhibits better heat tolerance in hot summers and cold tolerance in deep freezes than many other geranium species. This tough nature, combined with low maintenance requirements, makes it an indispensable plant for reliable summer color.
This specific variety, Geranium sanguineum ‘Album’, features clear white flowers, contrasting slightly with the deep crimson parent species, but maintains the desirable trailing stems and dense coverage. Whether planted at the front of a border or allowed to cascade over a retaining wall, this Hardy geranium provides excellent, long-lasting texture and bloom.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Geraniaceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4-8
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 0.75-1.5 ft
- Spread: 1-2 ft
- Bloom Time: May to June
- Bloom Description: White
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
Plant Geranium sanguineum ‘Album’ during spring or fall in average, well-drained soil. While it thrives best in moist, humusy conditions, this Hardy geranium demonstrates notable drought tolerance once established, making it adaptable to varied garden spots. Ensure the location provides at least partial sun, though it handles full sun if adequate moisture is supplied throughout the hottest part of the summer.
Watering should remain steady, classified as medium needs. Avoid overly rich fertilization, as this can lead to excessive foliage growth at the expense of flowers. Deadheading the spent blooms is generally considered tedious for large drifts and often unnecessary, as the plant maintains aesthetic appeal even after flowering ceases.
Foliage management is simple. If the appearance becomes ragged later in the season, the foliage can be lightly sheared back to revitalize the plant’s shape. Propagation is straightforward; gardeners can easily divide established clumps in spring or fall, or utilize tip cuttings or seed for new plants. This reliable Hardy geranium is known for its superior adaptability to both harsh winters and warm summers.
Landscape Uses
Geranium sanguineum ‘Album’ excels when used in mass plantings to create a flowing groundcover effect, rapidly filling in small areas with soft texture and white blooms. It is perfectly suited for rock gardens, where its trailing habit allows it to soften the edges of stone pathways or spill gracefully over retaining walls. It also serves wonderfully as a dense, low border front, providing neat transition planting beneath taller perennials.
When selecting companions, pair this Hardy geranium with plants sharing similar cultural needs, favoring medium moisture and sun/part shade conditions. Consider planting it near ornamental grasses for textural contrast, or alongside spring bulbs; the geranium’s foliage will effectively fill in the gaps left behind after tulip and daffodil blooms fade. The consistent performance of Geranium sanguineum ‘Album’ ensures that mid to late-season borders remain well-dressed.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
The species, Geranium sanguineum (Bloody Cranesbill), is famous for its magenta-to-purple crimson petals, but ‘Album’ offers striking, clear white, five-petaled flowers measuring up to 1.5 inches across. This clump-forming cultivar spreads to form a mound, typically rising 10 to 18 inches tall and spreading up to 24 inches wide over time. While the name honors the darker species, the foliage remains dark green, providing an excellent backdrop for its bright white spring display.
Tolerances
- Rabbit
- Deer
- Clay Soil
Potential Problems
Generally, Geranium sanguineum ‘Album’ exhibits very few serious pest or disease issues, contributing to its status as a low-maintenance choice. Occasionally, older or stressed plants might show some susceptibility to common fungal issues like leaf spots or rusts, particularly in areas with poor air circulation or persistently wet conditions. Ensure proper spacing during planting to promote air movement around the foliage, which is the best preventive measure against fungal outbreaks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Hardy geranium suitable for?
This selection is robustly hardy across USDA Zones 4-8, allowing it to withstand significant winter cold and summer heat swings.
How large does Geranium sanguineum ‘Album’ grow?
It typically matures to a height range of 0.75 to 1.5 feet, spreading between 1 and 2 feet wide, forming an attractive, ground-hugging clump.
What sun exposure does Geranium sanguineum ‘Album’ need?
This plant prefers a placement receiving full sun to light part shade for the best flowering performance.
When does Hardy geranium bloom?
The primary bloom period for this variety is late spring to early summer, generally occurring from May to June, featuring delicate white flowers.
Conclusion
The Geranium sanguineum ‘Album’ stands out as an exceptionally valuable, low-effort perennial, combining dense groundcover capabilities with charming, long-lasting white blooms. Its excellent tolerance for deer, rabbits, and even clay soil makes the Hardy geranium highly versatile for diverse garden settings. Before planting, confirm your location falls within USDA Zones 4 through 8 to ensure success with this vigorous performer.
Companion Planting
When selecting partners for Geranium sanguineum ‘Album’, prioritize plants that complement its medium water needs and prefer well-drained soil. Low-growing ornamental grasses that do not aggressively compete for moisture work well. Consider pairing it with smaller Alliums or spring-blooming bulbs like Daffodils; as the bulb foliage dies back, the spreading foliage of the Hardy geranium seamlessly takes over the visual interest.
Propagation Tips
One of the most rewarding aspects of growing this tough Hardy geranium is the ease of propagation. Division is the simplest and most common method; during early spring or early fall, established clumps can be dug up, and physically separated into smaller sections using a sharp spade or garden knife. Ensure each division retains a healthy set of roots and some viable shoots. Alternatively, tip cuttings taken from new growth in spring or early summer can often root successfully when placed in a lightly shaded, moist medium.
