Which geraniums will tolerate dry part shade conditions?

18 years ago

Which geraniums will tolerate these conditions?

I have a garden with dry shade under some ash trees, and some dappled sunlight. I canÂt get many things to grow there except spring bulbs. I do water but the trees suck a lot away. I moved some of my geranium sanguineum there and it is doing well. It is not growing a densely or flowering as much as the ones I have in my main garden bed, though. But since the leaves are attractive thatÂs fine.

What other geranium varieties will work (and flower) under such conditions? IÂm looking for inexpensive ones as I have a lot of ground to cover and have already spent too much (sighÂ) on the main garden. I might try winter sowing for this if geraniums will work for this and I can find seed (source suggestions welcome!).

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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

18 years ago

Contrary to the previous post, there's a number of species of hardy geraniums (cranesbill) that grow natively in shadier conditions and actually prefer it. Geranium macrorrhizum is often recommended for a dry shade groundcover plant as it is very adaptable to this situation and will grow and flower well. It is extremely drought tolerant once established and is useful in tree underplanting where conditions are difficult. Other species that are recommended for this situation are G. phaeum, G. nodosum, G. versicolor and G. x oxonianum 'Claridge Druce'. And of course Geranium endressii is the ultimate groundcover geranium and also extremely well-suited to dry shade positions.

Hardy geraniums are NOT classified as shrubs as they do not develop a permanent woody framework that would qualify them in this classification. And even if they were, there are many shrubs that are very shade tolerant. I'm not sure where the poster was going with that misleading bit of info......

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Comments (6)

jeannie7
18 years ago
The variety mentioned is the Cranesbill...the perennial geranium...not the annual "Pelargonium" that we use in containers and our beds.
It is classed as a shrub....which likes SUN.
You putting it into a non-sun preferred home is not being kind to it.
There are a lot of things we cant do in our lives...and putting Cranesbill into shade is one of them if we expect the plant to perform how it should.
Many plants can do well under the shade of the apple tree..among others.
But a plant that prefers sun...6 hours...8 hours...is what the Cranesbill expects.

There are many new varieties of Cransebill --otherwise called the "hardy" geranium. All of them, to my knowledge prefer sun....lots of sun.

Trees generally are water-sucking beasts....some more than others. The maple is one of the worst offenders.
Birch is another.
When you plant under them you should expect to have to water the area under them so that any plants there are given their due.

How about the other geranium...the pelargonium.
They love 8 hours of sun. Give THEM less and they wont flower well.
Besides, they too, like the trees, like lots of water.
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
Original Author
18 years ago
The geranium I moved into the shade bed was put there because I had a LOT of it. It is such a spreader I could easily have some in every bed. Even if it doesnÂt bloom much the leaves are attractive.

Since it did well enough thatÂs why I thought IÂd ask if that were true of geraniums in general. I have a JohnsonÂs Blue division that could also go there: but any further kinds of geraniums would have to be purchased, and I wouldnÂt spend money on a plant for a less than optimum location.

For some reason I thought there were woodland geraniumsÂthatÂs what I was hoping to find, if such exist. I am looking for perennials that will work in this spot. IÂm getting a little tired of just the hostas and astilbe I have there now. I have not bothered with trying annuals there.

I do have pelargoniums too but those are in sunny spots!
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laceyvail 6A, WV
17 years ago
I have Geranium maccrorhizum (Big Root Geranium) in extremely dry conditions, and quite shady too. Also good for dry (but perhaps not quite as shady) are G. 'Biokovo' and 'Karmina'. All these geraniums are extremely deer resistant as well.
ontnative
17 years ago
I agree with gardengal48 and laceyvail. G. phaeum, nodosum, any of the macrorrhizums such as Spessart, or the cantabrigiense cultivars such as St.Ola, Biokova, Cambridge,etc. would grow in part shade and somewaht dry soil. Most of my garden has these conditions, so I am very familiar with the limitations of dry shade. Phaeum and nodosum both self-seed extensively, just to warn you. The other ones mentioned are all ground-cover types, that do NOT seed.
sheltieche
17 years ago
Linnea
I hope you will make to my annual plant swap this year as well as last year- same time, same place- have quite a few geraniums to share from garden as well from recent seed starts- got some nice Confetti and Jester Jacket seedlings. As far as I am concerned any thungbergii are growing as weed in shade and does not care how much water it gets- it grows equally well as bog plant and in dry sidewalk space.
Hopefully will have few more geraniums- just ordered from Plant World seeds- that catalog is something....
Ellen