Geranium albanum

RHS Plant Profile
crested cranesbill

Save a plant

Where do you want to save Geranium albanum?

Plants I own
Wishlist
Go to My Plants

Synonyms

Geranium cristatum

Plants for pollinators
Herbaceous Perennial
Buy this from Plant Nurseries
2 Suppliers

A clump-forming perennial up to 50cm high, with a scrambling habit, slender stems trailing from the base and downy, deeply dissected bright green leaves. Pale pink flowers that mature to magenta, with rounded petals and fine purple veining, are produced from late spring to mid summer

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.5-1 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H6

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Geraniaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Semi evergreen
Habit
Spreading branched, Trailing
Genus
Geranium can be annuals, biennials and perennials, herbaceous or evergreen, with rounded, usually palmately lobed or divided leaves, and lax inflorescences of rounded, 5-petalled flowers
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
Caucasus to N Iran

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moderately fertile, well drained soil, may benefit from afternoon shade in hot summers. Evergreen in milder areas, may die back in colder winters

Propagation

Propagate by seed, by division or by basal softwood cuttings in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Banks and slopes
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Ground cover

Pruning

This species benefits from being lightly sheared back after flowering, to encourage the production of fresh leaves

Pests

May be susceptible to vine weevil, geranium sawfly, slugs and snails

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews, downy mildews, rust diseases and virus diseases