Geranium oxonianum

The perennial Geranium oxonianum, such as the excellent Claridge Druce variety, is remarkable ground cover with pink flowers, in bloom from May-June to September, vigorous, modest and undemanding. This hybrid is the result of cross-breeding between the deciduous Pyrenean ground cover Geranium endressii, a very robust and mat-forming plant, and its cousin G. versicolor, a taller Italian species with evergreen foliage in winter and tolerant to relative drought. There are many cultivars of this plant, probably more than 100, most of which have pink flowers, much more rarely white to white-pink. The charm of Geranium oxonianum is expressed in the shape of the flower, the size of the plant (from 30 to 60 cm (12 to 24in) in height and 50 cm (20in) in spread) and the brown pattern that adorns each leaf. Often these hybrids retain a small tuft of rather modest leaves in winter.

Geranium x oxonianum appreciates sunny exposures, although it can tolerate light shade. It thrives in any good garden soil that is neither too dry nor too wet, where it is not uncommon for it to self-seed. It will find its place in perennial or low shrub beds, high borders, slopes, rockeries, or large pots on the terrace.  Explore it in all its forms on these pages.

To vary the pleasure we also offer you over 100 varieties of perennial geraniums, adapted to each situation.