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pretty flower, but grows like crazy

comments (19) May 4th, 2009 in gallery

songbirdfeeder, member

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This foot high plant grows in a southern exposure. We were new to our home last year, so I let it grow--big mistake! It seems invasive; literally took over the flower bed. But it does have a pretty flower and continued to flower most of the summer. Can anybody tell me what it is?

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What's This Wild Flowering Plant

Comments (19)

pamelarms writes: I have these in several of my beds. What I really enjoy about this one is that I get hot-pink flowers in the shade - under a douglas fir! It does self-seed (a bit). It tends to look rattier in my area in the sun. The foliage turns a very pretty red/orange in the fall before going dormant. Posted: 11:02 pm on October 19th

Daylily1940 writes: It is definitely a bloody cranesbill, geranium sanguineum, cultivar: John Elsley. I have had it for years and love it but do have to remind it occasionally where it boundaries are! I think the secret is to grow it in northern zones where it isn't as aggressive. Posted: 9:23 pm on August 17th

outgardening writes: It looks much like the Geranium sanguineum var. striatum in my yard. Somewhat invasive, but easily pulled out to keep in bounds. Posted: 10:27 pm on June 29th

LoriMI writes: I love the Geraniums--also have a pink and a white with purple. They have been in the gardens for years and behave nicely. Very easy to share with others. Posted: 6:09 pm on June 24th

rocketdgo57 writes: I had this hardy geranium and it was really invasive where I live in MA. Two years later I am still finding small upstarts in the garden. It is good if you need to take up alot of space, but I was laways pulling it out of places I haden't planted it. Posted: 1:04 pm on May 29th

Pettis writes: This is definitely a John Elsey Geranium. I have many of them throughout my flower gardens as edgers. They are not invasive in Vermont and very dependable in the most extreme weather. Posted: 6:44 am on May 29th

lilaclover writes: This is definitely a wild geranium - cranesbill. They will form a wide clump (2-3 feet), but won't be invasive. They are a good, tough plant and will look good and keep blooming for years -- at least here in western Wisconsin. Posted: 10:56 pm on May 28th

frranross writes: This is not Herb Robert, which has a tiny pink flower and red succulent stems. It also has a distinctive tangy fragrance. Herb Robert is considered invasive (in Oregon), partly because it creates a zone around itself which inhibits the growth of other plants.

I bought that other pink geranium, and was not pleased when it became a bully in the flower bed, spread everywhere. A blue version has been better behaved, stays in a clump, easily divided, tolerates shade. Posted: 1:30 pm on May 28th

GardensAt7200ft writes: Please note that "Tiny Monster" has flowers that are a darker magenta--toward the purple color and the mound of foliage is not as tall as the geranium shown. (I have one in my yard.) Here in the mountains of northern NM, we have a native geranium that looks very much like this; less lush foliage but same bloom color.

I'm in USDA zone 4b, where winter temperatures get down to -25 degrees. Maybe (and I'm just speculating) these don't do well in MN because the soil chemistry is not as alkaline as it is here, where wild geraniums are abundant. Posted: 12:47 pm on May 28th

playsindirt writes: This is a wild hardy geranium called Herb Robert. I brought one division from Michigan 15 years ago and now it pops up everywhere and I love it! It's supposed to prefer at least semi-shade but it doesn't know that and reseeds even in dry sunny spots. Serendipitous! Posted: 12:02 am on May 16th

DenniD writes: I love this plant! It does seem to "pop" up all over the place, but is relatively easy to pull up and is a good filler for bare spots. I'll just let it grow until I decide to replace it with something else, then I pull it up. It can even be use as a ground cover. I give it a little all-purpose plant food now and it flowers for quite awhile. Also after the first flowering you can cut it back and it will flower again. I know that it does not like water logged soil, otherwise it is very easy to grow. Posted: 10:14 pm on May 6th

plantboss writes: I have this plant in my garden. It was originally ordered from a catalog where they called it Geranium 'Tiny Monster' (Geranium sanguineum). Posted: 7:33 pm on May 6th

Almaanne writes: I believe this a "wild geranium." I have not found them to be very invasive. If they grow where they aren't wanted, simply pull them. Posted: 1:14 pm on May 6th

Garius writes: Just to avoid confusion, Sweet Woodruff is *not* another name for this plant. Sweet woodruff is another plant. I have both in my garden and love them both. Posted: 9:55 am on May 6th

Lonicera writes: It grows well in Maine. My mother gave me some of hers. She had so much that she has been sharing. We are in southeastern Maine, and it grows anywhere for us. I love it for borders around shrubs. It grows in neat mounds and is a tidy plant. I gave mine plant food and the majenta flowers took on a blue hue. I like them for filling in difficult areas, even shady dry places. Posted: 7:56 pm on May 5th

Cayugamorning writes: Yes it is a geranium sanguineum. I enjoy this plant quite a bit. It does self-sow and can spread. Just pull it out where you do not want it. It is not so invasive that it will grow in your lawn the way violets will or strawberry plants, or even the species pulmonaria. A stark white sport showed up in my garden, very pretty because it is so stark white. It has an airier form than the magenta flowered one. Posted: 10:59 pm on May 4th

rushcreek writes: This plant is Geranium sanguineum, the bloody cranesbill. There are lots of cultivars of this plant, so it might be 'John Elsley', 'Max Frei'. There are also pale pink and white cultivars. It is a bit of a beast, I agree. sun to part sun. Posted: 9:10 pm on May 4th

JudithKay writes: I think also called Sweet Woodruff. Usually likes shade. Posted: 7:34 pm on May 4th

marebelle writes: It comes from the geranium family. They are a perennial. I am jealous I have planted several but they do not do well for me. Thye just do not seem to take the Minnesota winters very well. But I will try again this year. Enjoy Posted: 6:15 pm on May 4th

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