Erodium Species, Manescau Erodium, Heron’s Bill

This plant has grown well in our garden since 1997. We're borderline Zone 4 - Zone 5; we have excellent snow cover and very good drainag...Read Moree, which helps. As far as I can tell, this plant has no faults: it's attractive in or out of bloom; it has a long bloom period; it doesn't run or seed itself around, and it wears its magenta well, so even those gardeners who think they dislike the color are pleased by it. The clump slowly increases in size, so you can divide it when someone wants a start, as someone inevitably will.

I grew this plant from the NARGS seed exchange. Only two of ten seeds germinated, but both seedlings lived to become nice plants that blo...Read Moreomed the first year. Other references say it is hardy to zone 4 and has been growing in my garden for 10 years. Reliable, low maintenance, and blooms later than the other hardy geraniums. It has only produced a few viable seeds each year here.