Re: spring/fall bloom/ Geranium Chatto
GeneBush wrote:
> Hello Dean,
> I am a big fan of hardy geraniums for shade and finally obtained the Geranium
> maculatum chatto for my nursery. Could you please go into more detail on color of
> bloom, foliage. Bloom period is just after the species and stays in bloom all
> summer? For real? That is going to be one fine geranium for the woodland garden.
> Also finally obtained the G. m. albiflorum. There are quite a few forms of
> this geranium out there, but hard to locate. One of the forms I have seen
> mentioned only one year in a single catalog and never again since. Guess that is
> what makes collecting fun....
> Gene Bush Southern Indiana Zone 6a Munchkin Nursery
> around the woods - around the world
> genebush@otherside.com http://www.munchkinnursery.com
Gene,
Like I said, the label in the pot had that name on it -- this was a late-season sale
table plant last year and, well, you know how those little plastic labels travel!
This plant has both leaves and flowers smaller (less than 1/2" across) than the
species G. maculatum (which I have all over the place). The flowers are a light
lavender with darker veins, not the solid pink of the species. Although the
individual leaves are smaller (appx. 2" across), the whole plant has a larger spread
than nearby maculatums. Assuming this plant is 'Chatto' then I'm inclined to suspect
that there's more than maculatum in it's parentage. It has indeed had flowers on it
since early June and, like I said, shows no inclination to stop blooming. This is
not one of the big showy cranesbills, but I tend to prefer more subtle, wild-looking
flowering plants. Oh, this plant is also showing no signs of turning the brilliant
red of the nearby G. maculatums, nor any other autumn color.
I have this plant growing on the east side of the house where it gets full sun until
early afternoon. I've noticed that many cranesbills are underutilized when reserved
solely for the shade.
If I'm granted one more sunny weekend day this year, I'll try to snap a photo of it
and send it to you for comparison. ;-)
Dean Sliger
Warren, MI, USA
Zone 6B
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