'Midnight Ghost' Cranesbill (Geranium)
Perennial
- White petals & pink veins contrast dark purple foliage!
- Tough as nails: drought-tolerant & deer-resistant.
- Unexpected color in rock gardens, borders, or containers.
- Loved by pollinators, especially butterflies.
- Zones 4-8, sun/part sun, 20″ tall x 12″ wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Cranesbill is a perennial with fragrant foliage and delicate flowers that blanket the landscape and create a lush, deer- and rabbit-resistant mat. Plus, it's drought tolerant once it is established in your garden. We love it as a ground cover or in a container, but no matter how you use this perennial, it is versatile, reliable, and beautiful.
Details
Common Name: Hardy Geranium, cranesbill, ashy cranesbill
Zone: 4 - 8
Sun Exposure: Sun (> 6 hours sun) to part-sun (4-6 hours sun)
Height x Width: 20″ tall x 12″ wide
Flower Color: White, with pink veining
Foliage Color: Deep purple, nearly black
Season of interest: Summer through early fall
Bloom time: Summer through fall
Features: Wet soils, rain gardens, rabbit resistant, heat tolerant, fragrant, ground cover, deer resistant, container plants, low maintenance, long blooming, cold tolerant, slopes
Uses: Container planting, cottage gardening, ground cover, massing, specimen
How to Grow
Light: Sun (> 6 hours sun) to part-sun (4-6 hours sun)
Water: Average water needs. Established plants have some drought tolerance.
Spacing: 10 inches
Fertilizing: Generally unnecessary but could benefit from a light application of balanced fertilizer in early spring.
Winterizing: No specific care is needed. Can leave foliage standing for winter and remove in spring when new growth begins.
Maintenance & Pruning: You can prune anytime during the summer to shape the plant. Divide and move clumps in spring.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.