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Geranium sanguineum

Bloody Crane's-bill · Bloody Geranium · Blood-red Crane's-bill

Family GeraniaceaeGenus Geranium

A single magenta five-petalled flower beside deeply cut leaves with narrow, finger-like lobes
FlowerDidier DescouensCC BY-SA 4.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
Ground Cover, PerennialExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
perennialPlants of the World Online
Height
0.8-1.7 ft25-50 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
1-2 ft30-60 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
Pink, Purple/LavenderExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
Spring, SummerExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Albania, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
3-9Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sun; Partial ShadeExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Good Drainage, MoistExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Geranium is from the Greek géranos, crane, for a fruit like a crane's bill; sanguineum means blood-red. It is the county flower of Northumberland. Wikipedia: Geranium sanguineum

This source reports 4 treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around January 11, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 84 days to germinate.

77% germination in 42–84 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Geranium p. 148Public domain
Show the original text
Geranium (Geranlaceae). G. sanguineum germ. best in 70D(77% in 6-12 w), poorer in 70L(15% in 2-7 w) and 40-70(14%), and none in outdoor treatment.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Geranium p. 148. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 49 days to germinate.

15% germination in 14–49 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Geranium p. 148Public domain
Show the original text
Geranium (Geranlaceae). G. sanguineum germ. best in 70D(77% in 6-12 w), poorer in 70L(15% in 2-7 w) and 40-70(14%), and none in outdoor treatment.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Geranium p. 148. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 15, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

14% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Geranium p. 148Public domain
Show the original text
Geranium (Geranlaceae). G. sanguineum germ. best in 70D(77% in 6-12 w), poorer in 70L(15% in 2-7 w) and 40-70(14%), and none in outdoor treatment.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Geranium p. 148. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

  1. Sow outdoors and leave it

    Nothing germinated outdoors.

No stated waiting before sowing.

0% germination.

This source doesn't state how long step 1 lasts.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Geranium p. 148Public domain
Show the original text
Geranium (Geranlaceae). G. sanguineum germ. best in 70D(77% in 6-12 w), poorer in 70L(15% in 2-7 w) and 40-70(14%), and none in outdoor treatment.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Geranium p. 148. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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