Geranium lambertii procurrens Salomé

The Salomé perennial Geranium is a superb ground cover, with a very creeping habit, which spreads freely in the sun or partial shade. Its light green foliage is adorned with a long flowering of unusual color, pale mauve veined with dark purple around an almost black heart. This hybrid variety, quite attractive, is not the easiest to grow: it can be capricious at times, thrives only in well-drained soils, but not too dry in summer, and its hardiness can be compromised in soils that remain moist in winter. 'Salomé' does as it pleases, but we forgive everything to this beauty!

The Salomé perennial Geranium is a horticultural hybrid resulting from the cross-breeding between Geranium lambertii and G. procurrens, from which it inherited its very creeping habit. It is a perennial plant with a persistent root system that develops long creeping stems with deciduous to semi-evergreen leaves in winter depending on temperatures. It eventually forms a large ground cover mat 30-35 cm (12-14in) in height that spreads up to 1.20 m (4ft) wide. 'Salomé' blooms from July to October, producing clusters of small flowers measuring 2-3 cm (1in) wide, composed of 5 well-separated petals. They are pale mauve, veined with dark purple, with a deep violet center and almost black styles and stamens. The leaves near the base of the plant measure 5 to 12 cm (2 to 5in) long, have 5 lobes and are pale green. After flowering, the plant quickly enters a period of dormancy.

Place the Salomé perennial Geranium prominently, its unique beauty deserves it. It can be planted in a rockery that is not too arid, in a raised border, away from competition with bushes and other perennials that it fears. Given its parentage, one can imagine that this hybrid is better suited to montane gardens that are not too hot in summer or to regions with a continental climate, rather dry in winter.