Bloody cranesbill prefers average garden soil. It is more tolerant of drought than other cranesbills and many other shade plants. It will also grow in moist soil, but not in areas where water stands. It requires little or no maintenance. To increase your supply, look for small seedlings near the parent plant in spring or dig up and divide clumps in early spring. Bloody cransesbill can tolerate western heat but not the heat and humidity of the Deep South.
The bloody cranesbill is a true perennial geranium (unlike the commonly grown red geranium more properly called Pelargonium). This geranium has an intense color that dominates its neighbors when in flower. It isn’t to everyone’s taste, but it makes a strong statement for gardeners who like bright colors. The leaves are small and lacy, produced in such numbers that the low-growing plants appear dense. The plant spreads to three to four times its height, making it an excellent choice for a ground cover. It also boasts a longer bloom time than most perennials.
ZONES: 4–7
BLOOM TIME: Summer
LIGHT: Part shade
HEIGHT: 10–15 inches
INTEREST: Intense reddish purple flowers: delicate mounds of lacy dark green foliage
Use this versatile geranium in almost any garden wherever a low-growing, colorful plant or delicate leaf texture is needed. Position it at the front of a border or at the edge of a woodland path. Because of its strong color, it is best planted beside foliage plants such as ferns, hostas, and Jack-in-the-pulpits, or alongside plants with white blossoms such as sweet woodruff, dwarf goat’s beard, and foamflower. It blends well with the pale pink blossoms of its refined relative G. sanguineum var. striatum.