Cultivating Geraniums Year-Round in Iowa's Climate
In the heart of the Midwest, gardeners are always on the lookout for reliable, hardy, and beautiful plants to adorn their landscapes. One group of plants that has gained widespread favour is the perennial geraniums, also known as cranesbills.
These versatile plants offer a wide range of options, with approximately 300 species and countless cultivars available. Among these, the Chicago Botanic Garden has evaluated many for their performance in Midwestern landscapes, and their top recommendation is Geranium 'Rozanne'.
'Rozanne' is a standout cultivar, boasting a long bloom period that extends well into autumn. Its mounding habit makes it ideal for edging perennial beds in full sun to part shade, and the blue flowers blend harmoniously with other colors, making it a favourite for Midwest gardens.
| Species/Cultivar | Key Attributes | Landscape Use | |----------------------|--------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| | Geranium 'Rozanne' | Long bloom period into autumn, mounding habit, blue flowers | Edging perennial beds in sun/part shade |
The Chicago Botanic Garden highlights 'Rozanne' as an easy-to-grow perennial that thrives in the Midwest. Hardy geraniums are widely favoured Midwest landscape plants due to their multiple positive attributes, and the Garden maintains the largest collection of Geranium taxa in the United States.
Other notable cultivars include 'Cambridge', with its deep pink flowers and spring bloom, and 'Ann Folkard', which offers purple-pink flowers with a dark eye and blooms from spring to mid-summer. 'Blue Cloud', with its lavender-blue flowers, and 'Butterfly Kisses', with its purple-pink flowers with red veins, are also popular choices for their bloom times that span from spring to mid-summer and late summer to fall, respectively.
Cranesbills are reliable bloomers in sites with full sun to part shade and well-drained soils. Many species and cultivars, such as 'Gravetye' with its blue flowers and 'Playpetalum' with its violet-blue flowers, provide a wide range of flower colors, from pale pinks and lavender to intense purple-pinks and blues.
One unique aspect of cranesbills is that some species develop red or burgundy leaf color in fall, adding an extra touch of beauty to the landscape. Furthermore, cranesbills have few insect or disease problems and are often long-lived in the landscape.
It's important to note that perennial geraniums are not the same as common annual geraniums (Pelargonium). Cranesbills are a distinct group of plants, native to regions such as Iowa woodlands, as seen in Geranium maculatum.
In conclusion, the sheer number of cultivars available may seem daunting, but with the Chicago Botanic Garden's recommendations, gardeners in the Midwest can confidently choose from a selection of reliable, beautiful, and easy-to-grow perennial geraniums to enhance their landscapes.
- The top recommendation from the Chicago Botanic Garden for Midwest gardeners looking for reliable, beautiful, and easy-to-grow perennials is Geranium 'Rozanne', known for its long bloom period into autumn.
- Other notable cranesbill cultivars include 'Cambridge', 'Ann Folkard', 'Blue Cloud', and 'Butterfly Kisses', each offering different bloom times and flower colors.
- Cranesbills are versatile plants that bloom in both full sun to part shade and well-drained soils, providing a wide range of flower colors from pale pinks to intense purple-pinks and blues.
- In addition to their beautiful blooms, cranesbills are distinctive for their few insect or disease problems and their potential to develop red or burgundy leaf color in fall.
- It's essential for Midwest gardeners to understand that perennial geraniums, or cranesbills, are different from common annual geraniums (Pelargonium).
