Plant of the Month for April 2018

Geranium farreri

Description and General Information:

Geranium farreri is a low, mounding plant with stems 10-15 cm tall.  The leaves are round in outline but deeply lobed into seven segments. The light pink, 3 cm diameter flowers have blue-black anthers. In the wild, flowers are produced in mid-summer.  Native to scrubby slopes and alpine meadows of NW Yunnan and southern Gansu at 3900-4500m elevation. It naturally grows on limestone. This species was discovered by Reginald Farrer in August 1914 on the Min Shan mountains.

Cultivation:

This Geranium does best in full sun with limestone scree conditions.  If growing on sandstone or granite, a yearly dusting with lime is recommended. It completely disappears in winter.  It resents excess winter wet but requires consistent moisture during the growing season.  It is also useful in alpine troughs or in an alpine house setting.

Blooming Season:

Late spring to early summer

Propagation:

Seed, division and cuttings

Seed:

Direct sow at 20 C; no stratification required.

Division:

Larger clumps may be dug and divided.

Cuttings:

Rhizomes with a tuft of leaves may be taken from the main clump in mid-late summer and rooted in a peat-sand mix.

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