Bloody cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum 'Elke')
Geranium sanguineum 'Elke', the Bloody cranesbill, is a low-maintenance perennial offering showy pink flowers from June to September.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Geranium sanguineum ‘Elke’, commonly known as Bloody cranesbill, is a highly valued herbaceous perennial prized for its extended bloom season and robust constitution. This compact cultivar provides excellent ground cover, blanketing garden spaces with attractive foliage and continuous color through the summer months. Its specific coloration—showy pink blooms accented by white edges and a central eye—makes Geranium sanguineum ‘Elke’ a standout choice for borders and rockeries.
This variety exhibits excellent adaptability, tolerating both heat and cold better than many other geranium species, ensuring reliable performance across its hardiness range. As a low-maintenance selection, it fulfills the need for beautiful, persistent texture without demanding excessive care, making it an asset for both novice and seasoned gardeners seeking drought-tolerant beauty.
The structure of the Bloody cranesbill creates a neat mound, ideal for softening hardscaping elements or filling gaps between larger shrubs. Its reliability and ease of care solidify its reputation as one of the most common and successful geraniums grown in U.S. landscapes today.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Geraniaceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4-8
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 0.75-1 ft
- Spread: 1-1.5 ft
- Bloom Time: June to September
- Bloom Description: Pink with white edges and center eye
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
Plant Geranium sanguineum ‘Elke’ during the spring or fall when soil temperatures are moderate. This perennial thrives in average, well-drained soil, though it establishes well even in clay soils, one of its notable tolerances. While it prefers medium moisture, it tolerates some drought once established, but vigorous, lush growth is best achieved in humusy soils that retain moisture without becoming waterlogged. Ensure a location receiving sun to partial shade for the best flower production.
Care for this hardy plant is minimal. Water consistently until the root system is fully developed. Fertilization is usually unnecessary for established plants in decent garden soil. Deadheading the flowers is often deemed too tedious for large drifts and is usually unnecessary; however, if you wish to prevent light self-seeding, removal might be required.
To keep the clump tidy and encourage fresh growth, foliage can be lightly sheared back after the main flush of bloom subsides. This partial haircut helps revitalize the plant mid-season. If winter protection is a concern, Bloody cranesbill generally handles cold winters well, but a light layer of mulch can benefit newly planted specimens in Zone 4. Propagation is easily achieved through simple division, tip cuttings, or seed collection.
Landscape Uses
The compact habit and vigorous spreading make Geranium sanguineum ‘Elke’ an exceptional choice for low-growing ground cover applications where year-round structure is desired. It effectively blankets small areas, suppressing weeds while providing season-long color. The 1-to-1.5-foot spread allows it to spill gently over retaining walls or merge seamlessly into the edges of borders and pathways.
This selection is perfectly suited for rock gardens, where its texture contrasts beautifully with stone elements. It also serves admirably as an informal edging plant along front borders, providing a neat, flowering transition to lawns or walkways. Because Geranium sanguineum ‘Elke’ is relatively unfussy about soil composition, incorporating it near woodland plantings or in mixed perennial beds where soil quality varies is practical and rewarding.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy 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. ‘Elke’ offers showy, pink blooms with a white center and white blush on the petal edges. The bloom period extends throughout the summer, and the foliage turns a bronzy-red in fall. This compact, clump-forming selection will reach up to 1’ tall with a 1.5’ spread. Attractive to butterflies and other insect pollinators.
Tolerances
- Rabbit
- Deer
- Drought
- Clay Soil
Potential Problems
This cultivar generally exhibits remarkable resistance to serious insect infestations or major diseases. Gardeners should be aware of a slight potential for fungal issues such as leaf spots or rusts, particularly in conditions that are overly wet or lack good air circulation. Ensure proper spacing during planting and avoid overhead watering late in the day to minimize moisture retention on foliage, managing these minor susceptibilities proactively.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Bloody cranesbill suitable for?
Geranium sanguineum ‘Elke’ is reliably hardy across USDA Zones 4 through 8, offering adaptability across many temperate regions.
How large does Geranium sanguineum ‘Elke’ grow?
This compact selection matures to a height between 0.75 and 1 foot tall, spreading outwards to form a mound approximately 1 to 1.5 feet wide.
When does Bloody cranesbill bloom?
The main flowering period for the Bloody cranesbill extends from June straight through September, providing continuous color when many other perennials slow down.
What sun exposure does Geranium sanguineum ‘Elke’ need?
This plant performs best when exposed to full sun or partial shade conditions, balancing bloom quantity with foliage health.
Conclusion
Geranium sanguineum ‘Elke’ is an indispensable, low-maintenance perennial for adding enduring textural interest and vibrant summer color to the garden plan. Whether used as a spreading ground cover or dotted along a border front, this Bloody cranesbill provides consistent beauty with minimal fuss. Check your local hardiness zone compatibility and plan to install your plants during the optimal spring or fall planting windows for best establishment.
Propagation Tips
Propagation of Geranium sanguineum ‘Elke’ is straightforward, offering gardeners several easy ways to increase their stock or share this beautiful plant. Division is the simplest method, best performed in early spring before new growth fully emerges or in the fall after blooming ceases. This method maintains the exact characteristics of the established clump rapidly.
Tip cuttings offer another reliable route for asexual propagation. Take semi-hardwood or new softwood tip cuttings during the growing season and root them in a moist, well-draining medium, ideally under mist or in a humid environment to encourage root development quickly.
While self-seeding can occur if deadheading is skipped, true propagation by seed requires patience and knowledge of germination requirements, which can include a period of cold stratification to mimic natural winter conditions.
Wildlife Benefits
The flowers of Geranium sanguineum ‘Elke’ are noted for being attractive to essential garden helpers, specifically butterflies and various other insect pollinators. By providing a reliable mid-summer nectar source with its extended bloom time, this Bloody cranesbill supports local ecosystems throughout the season. Incorporating this plant enhances biodiversity, turning your ground cover into an active participant in local pollination cycles.
