Geranium phaeum Raven

The Perennial Geranium phaeum Raven, also known as Brown Geranium, Dusky Geranium, or Livid Geranium, offers a superb contrast between its very dark brown-purple flowers with a small white center and its light green acidulous foliage. It is a sturdy herbaceous perennial, very hardy, flowering in spring and summer with an abundance of small silky flowers, carried in clusters well above the foliage. They are downward-facing, in wide-open cups. It forms a small semi-evergreen bush, strong against the wind, accommodating to soil and exposure, even growing in dry shade.

The Perennial Geranium phaeum 'Raven' belongs to the Geraniaceae family. It is derived from Geranium phaeum, originating from the mountains of southern and central Europe, in a wide area extending from the Pyrenees to the Balkans. It forms a semi-evergreen clump of foliage, 45 cm (18in) tall when in flower, and 30 cm (0 and 12in) wide. It has a dense and erect habit. The flowering occurs in May-June, and then, more sporadically, during summer under not too dry conditions. The flower itself is relatively inconspicuous, measuring only 2 cm (1in) in diameter, but it is colored in very dark brown-purple, almost black, with silky reflections, and has a small almost white central zone, the core is crowned with gracefully curved pink stamens around the pistil. The flowers are very numerous, arranged in clusters along slender flowering stems that stand out distinctly from the foliage. The leaves are slightly dissected, lobed and divided into 5 large lobes, of a very bright light green color with a hint of yellow. G. phaeum self-seeds abundantly in the garden and easily hybridizes with each other.

The Geranium phaeum 'Raven' does not exhibit a showy and spectacular flowering as its flowers are small and dark. However, the clumps do not go unnoticed in May. It is an excellent ground cover to animate a wild garden or brighten up a woodland. It tolerates shade, even dense shade, and withstands drought once established. In woodland, it is a good companion for acid-green euphorbias and pastel-toned lungworts. The slightly lower, lighter-flowered Geranium nodosum will fulfill the same functions in the shade. Plant it along a North or East-facing alley, among ferns and bergenia, in front of hydrangeas, rhododendrons, camellias. It will blend very well with all shade and semi-shade perennials such as fuchsias, hostas, periwinkles, hellebores, epimediums.