Perennial of the Month-- October 2002 
Perennial of the Month-- October 2002
(ger-aa' nee-um) (pronunciation at link, turn up volume if too low)
Common name: Perennial Geranium
Family: Geraniaceae, Geranium
Height x width: 12-18" x 18-24"
Habit: bushy to sprawling after bloom
Growth rate: moderate to fast
Foliage: palmate, deeply lobed, 2-3" across on long petioles from base
Flowers: magenta pink (brigher in cooler climates), fading to maroon star-shaped centers with maroon veins, to 3/4" across, 5 petals; late spring in hot climates, midsummer and sporadically until fall in cooler climates
Hardiness: 5 (often 4) -8
Soil: moist, organic and well-drained but will tolerate some drought
Light: sun in cool climates, part shade in hot climates
Pests and problems: none serious
Landscape habit, uses: borders, cottage gardens, large rock gardens, specimen, ground cover if massed
Other interest: hybrid by Alan Bremner of endressii x psilostemon;this has lived for several years in my Vermont zone 4 gardens, and has striking bloom color
Other culture: doesn't tolerate heat and humidity of deep South; cut back after flowering as new foliage emerges, may rebloom in hotter areas in late summer; otherwise low maintenance
Propagation:division
Sources: many local and mail order/online catalogs