Armenian cranesbill

Armenian cranesbill: how do you recognise it?

Habit

A broad clump about 1 m tall and wide, with branching stems that like to lean on neighbouring plants.

Leaves

Large, hand-shaped and deeply cut, fresh green; they turn red in autumn.

Flower

Open saucers 3–4 cm across in loose sprays above the leaves, from June to August.

Colour

Vivid magenta with a black centre and black veins.

Fruit

A long, beak-shaped fruit that splits open when ripe and flings the seeds away.

Roots

A sturdy rootstock; the clump widens slowly but does not spread aggressively.

Flowering: June–August · Plants: March–April and September–October · Pruning: March and August

Why grow it?

• One of the brightest colours in the summer border: magenta with a black eye.
• A long flowering season, from June to August, often with a few extra flowers after cutting back.
• Bees and bumblebees readily visit the open flowers.
• The large, deeply cut leaves turn a fine red in autumn.
• Fully hardy and easy: a plant that lasts for years.
• It quickly fills a gap in the border and keeps weeds down under its leaves.

Armenian cranesbill: where does it grow best?

• Sun or partial shade; in full sun the soil should stay slightly moist.
• Any good garden soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to chalky.
• Normal soil that is not too dry; it dislikes standing water in winter.
• Plant it in the middle of the border, among sturdy plants it can lean on.
• Allow 60–80 cm between plants.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

1 m tall, 1 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Lady’s mantle: Lime-yellow flowers and soft leaves as a fresh contrast to the magenta.
• Roses: A classic pairing in a romantic border; it fills the bare base of the shrub.
• Catmint: Lavender-blue flowers in the same months, softening the bright colour.
• Delphinium: Tall blue spires behind the clump in June and July.
• Ornamental grasses: Airy stems, such as purple moor grass, bring calm among the bright flowers.

Armenian cranesbill: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and September–October.

1. Plant in March–April or September–October, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the pot and mix in some compost.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as it was in the pot: the crown should sit just at soil level.
4. Keep 60–80 cm between it and neighbouring plants.
5. Firm the soil well and water straight away with a full can.
6. Spread a thin layer of compost or leaf mould around the plant.

Care

Watering

In the first year, water regularly in dry spells. After that, only during long droughts.

Feeding

A spadeful of compost around the clump in March–April. That is enough: rich soil gives floppy stems.

Support

In April, push some twiggy sticks or a plant support around the clump, or plant it between sturdy neighbours.

After flowering

Cut the clump back after the first flush: you get fresh leaves and often a few more flowers.

Dividing

Divide every 4–5 years, when the centre of the clump becomes bare.

Tip: Let it lean on sturdy neighbours rather than tying it in tightly: it looks more natural and flops less. Cut back after the first flush for fresh leaves.

Armenian cranesbill: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and August.

When: In August, after the first flush of flowers, and in March to clear away the old, dead leaves.

How:

• After flowering, cut the spent stems and old leaves back to 10–15 cm above the ground.
• Then water and add some compost so that new leaves come quickly.
• Leave the leaves in autumn for their colour and cut the dead remains back to just above the ground in March.
• If you want seedlings, leave a few flower stems until the seed is ripe.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In March–April or September, lift the clump and cut it with a spade into pieces that each have a few buds and roots. Replant at once.

Seed

Sow ripe seed in late summer in a tray and leave it outdoors; the cold helps germination. Seedlings usually look much like the parent.

Armenian cranesbill: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy, down to about −30 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• The leaves die back in winter; the plant shoots again in March–April.
• In a large pot: stand the pot against a wall and make sure excess water can drain away.

Diseases and pests

• Flopping: After a downpour the clump falls open. Give support, do not overfeed, or plant it between sturdy neighbours.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in dry summers. Water and cut back after flowering; the new leaves are usually healthy.
• Slugs: They eat the young leaves in spring. Pick them off in the evening or set a beer trap.
• Bare centre: After a few years the heart of the clump opens up and flowers less. Divide and replant the young outer pieces.

Through the year

• March: Cut away old leaves. Add compost. Plant or divide.
• April: Plant. Put in twiggy sticks or a plant support.
• May: Watch for slugs on the young leaves.
• June: Flowering begins. Bees and bumblebees visit.
• July: Full flower. Water in dry spells.
• August: After flowering, cut back to 10–15 cm. Water and add compost.
• September: Plant or divide. Sometimes a few late flowers.
• October: Plant. The leaves turn red.
• November: Leave the leaves; they die back on their own.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The name cranesbill refers to the long, beak-shaped fruit. When ripe, it springs open and shoots the seeds some distance away.
• It is not the windowsill ‘geranium’: that is a pelargonium, from the same plant family but a different genus.
• The Royal Horticultural Society has given it the Award of Garden Merit, a mark for reliable garden plants.