Geranium endressii

When people think about hardy geraniums, they probably envision this one. The Border selections of Cranesbill Geranium are valuable fillers for colour in the perennial garden.
Geranium endressii is native to France and Spain and was introduced to Britain in 1812. This lovely species, also known as Endres Cranesbill or French Crane's-bill forms a mound of glossy, deeply-cut, green foliage, bearing a summer-long display of cup-shaped, bright pink flowers.

Geranium endressii is one of the best choices for massed plantings, filling in quickly to create a bushy groundcover. It has a neat rounded habit, with palmate leaves about 5 to 10cm (2 to 4in) in width. The plants can be cut back hard in midsummer to encourage fresh new foliage. Easily divided in spring or autumn, they are is incredibly hardy and evergreen in mild winter regions.

Sowing: Sow in late winter/late spring or in late summer/autumn.
Fill pots, cells of trays with a good seed starting compost. (John Innes or similar). Sit the containers in water to moisten thoroughly. Sow the seeds 2.5cm (1in) apart, on the surface of the compost and cover seed with vermiculite, sand or sieved compost after sowing. Keep soil slightly moist but not wet. Perennial geraniums often germinate over several months, usually between 30 to 90 days at temperatures around 5 to 10°C (41 to 50°F). Seed trays should not be discarded prematurely. Constant moisture must be maintained. Do not leave in direct sunlight.
Transplant the seedlings into 7.5cm (3in) pots to grow on. Avoid large pots, because the compost will be wet permanently and wetness can a cause growth inhibition and a poor root development.
Overwinter autumn sown seedlings indoors frost free at 3 to 5 °C (37 to 41°F). If outdoors use an outdoor fleece cover to protect the plants.
Plant outdoors in spring after the last expected frosts. Gradually acclimatise to outdoor conditions for 10 to 15 days before planting out into their permanent positions. Space 30 to 40cm (12 to 15in) apart.

Cultivation:
In mid summer after flowering rejuvenate plants that are beginning to look jaded by shearing it back, this will promote dense growth and encourage better reblooming. Lift and divide large colonies in spring, March to May
Low-moderate fertilisation levels are required use a complete balanced fertiliser. Avoid high ammonium and high nitrogen levels. Very high nitrogen levels will cause shoot stretching and then the shoots fall apart. Don't fertilise after mid September.
The roots are sensitive to wet substrates which can cause rotting of roots and poor plant quality. Allow for the plants to dry thoroughly between irrigations.

Plant Uses:
Cottage/Informal Garden, Flowers Borders and Beds, Wildlife / Butterfly Garden. Beekeeping.
Full sun to partial shady locations. Rock gardens, stone walls, perennial borders, ground cover, large containers.

Origin:
Geranium is a genus of 422 species of flowering annual, biennial, and perennial plants, found throughout the temperate regions of the world and the mountains of the tropics, but mostly in the eastern part of the Mediterranean region.
Geranium endressii is a frost hardy perennial geranium native to the French Pyrenees, the native range is very restricted. In France it is known as Géranium d' Endress.

Nomenclature:
The name Geranium comes from the Greek 'geranion', which is a diminutive of 'geranos' meaning crane.
The species is named for Philipp Anton Christoph Endress (1806-1831). He was a German pharmacist and plant collector from Strasburg. He collected for the 'Unio Itineraria' in the Pyrenees. Material at BM was mainly purchased with the herbarium of R.J. Shuttleworth in 1877. Geranium endressii from the Pyrenees is one of a number of taxa named in his honour.
It gets its common name 'crane’s bill' from the 'beak' over the seed pod and is also called storksbill in some areas. The name 'crowfoot' is often used for geraniums, because the leaves resemble buttercups, which historically were called crowfoots.