Geranium pratense

RHS Plant Profile
meadow cranesbill

Save a plant

Where do you want to save Geranium pratense?

Plants I own
Wishlist
Go to My Plants
meadow cranesbill RHS
meadow cranesbill visionspictures.com

Other common names

common cranesbill, crowfoot, meadow geranium, wild geranium, pig yr aran y weirgoldd

Plants for pollinators
Herbaceous Perennial
Thank you - your purchase supports our charity work Buy this from RHS Plants Shop
Buy online from £5.09Buy this from Plant Nurseries
24 Suppliers

Clump-forming perennial about 60-90cm tall, with hairy stems and deeply-lobed mid-green foliage. The saucer-shaped, white, blue or violet flowers are 4.5cm across and appear in early to mid-summer

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

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

Growing Conditions

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

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
North–facing or 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)
H7

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Geraniaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
Yes
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
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
Europe to Himalaya

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moderately fertile, well-drained soil in sun or light shade

Propagation

Propagate by seed, or by division in spring or take basal cuttings in early to mid spring and root with bottom heat

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Coastal
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wildflower meadow
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Ground cover
  • Underplanting of roses and shrubs

Pruning

Remove flowered stems and old leaves to encourage the production of fresh leaves and flowers

Pests

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

Diseases

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