Geranium macrorrhizum 'Album'

About this cultivar:

Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Album’ is an elegant and versatile perennial that brings a touch of refined charm to any garden. Renowned for its fragrant, deeply lobed foliage, this plant is a quiet achiever in the garden, providing year-round interest. The foliage, a lush green, is slightly glossy and forms a dense, ground-hugging mat that is as practical as it is attractive, making it an excellent choice for ground cover or edging.

Unlike the bold and brash characters in the plant world, Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Album’ offers a more subdued beauty, fitting seamlessly into traditional borders and naturalistic settings. Its adaptability to a range of light conditions, from full sun to partial shade, further enhances its appeal.

In late spring to early summer, clusters of flowers with near-white petals, prominent stamens, and contrasting deep pink calyces appear, standing gracefully above the foliage on slender stems. These blossoms add a delicate touch of brightness and are subtly scented, attracting pollinators and enhancing the sensory experience in the garden.

A favorite among gardeners who appreciate timeless beauty and reliable performance, Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Album’ is perfect for those looking to create a serene, classic garden atmosphere. Whether used as a ground cover, in a mixed border, or in woodland gardens, this plant consistently delivers with its understated elegance and hardiness.

The specific epithet and bigroot common name are in obvious reference to the thick roots of this plant (macro=big, rhizum=root).

• Position: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil: Almost any soil, grows well in Ballyrobert
• Flowers: April, May, June, July, August
• Other features: Grows well in Ballyrobert
• Hardiness: H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20°C), Fully hardy - grows well in Ballyrobert!
• Habit: Clump forming, bushy, trailing
• Foliage: Deciduous
• Height: 30 - 60 cm (1 - 2 ft)
• Spread: 45 - 60 cm (1.5 - 2 ft)
• Time to full growth: 2 to 5 years
• Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial
• Colour: Green, white, pink
• Goes well with: -

About this genus:

Geranium is a genus of 422 species of flowering plants found throughout the temperate regions of the world and the mountains of the tropics, They come in  a variety of shapes and sizes and the five-petaled-flowers can be white, pink, purple or blue, often with distinctive veining. The genus name is derived from the Greek géranos meaning ‘crane’. The common name is‘cranesbill’. Why the crane reference? Well, some species in the Geranium genus have a distinctive mechanism for seed dispersal. This consists of a column which springs open when ripe and casts the seeds some distance.  The shape of the unsprung column looks like the bill of a crane- therefore cranesbill!

Geranium is often confused with its close cousin Pelargonium (florist geranium). The two plants were originally lumped into the one genus (genus Geranium), but in the 1780s, the genus Pelargonium was split from Geranium. However, by that time the common name "geranium" for the florists plants was part of the public vernacular and it stuck.

Geraniums are not as flashy as many perennials, but are getting more and more popualr again as newer cultivars become more floriferous and for longer. The attractive foliage of Geraniums, combined with their  blendable, butterfly-attracting, spring and summer flowers, make geraniums staples in the perennial garden. 

The genus geranium has long been recognized as one of the most durable and easy to grow perennials for the garden. They love sun or part shade and will grow in any soil that isn't waterlogged. 

How to use them? Oh, the list is endless and often depends on the specific geranium, its height, habit and colour - they are not just "ground cover" plants!