Druce’s cranesbill

Druce’s cranesbill: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Wide, loose clump 45–60 cm tall and up to 80 cm across; it often falls open after the first flush of flowers.

Leaves

Hand-shaped, deeply cut into five lobes, softly hairy and fresh green; with brown blotches in some cultivars.

Flower

Open, saucer-shaped flowers of 3–4 cm with five petals, in loose clusters from May to October.

Colour

Every shade of pink, from pale silvery pink to salmon and purple-pink, often with darker veins.

Fruit

A beak-shaped fruit that splits open and flings out the seed; it self-seeds readily.

Roots

A sturdy, branching rootstock; the clump grows a little wider every year.

Flowering: May–October · Plants: March–April and September–October · Pruning: March and July

Why grow it?

• One of the longest-flowering perennials: from May to October, especially if you cut it back in July.
• A vigorous ground cover that quickly forms a dense carpet and gives weeds little chance.
• Grows in sun and partial shade, on sand, loam and clay: it fits in almost anywhere.
• The open flowers are a source of nectar and pollen for bees and bumblebees all summer long.
• Ideal for covering the bare base of roses and shrubs.
• In mild winters some of the leaves stay green.

Druce’s cranesbill: where does it grow best?

• Sun to partial shade. In full sun it needs enough water; in partial shade the leaves stay fresher.
• Any ordinary garden soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to chalky.
• Normally moist soil: no extreme drought and no waterlogging.
• Allow enough room: a single plant covers up to 80 cm after a few years.
• Plant 50–60 cm apart: 3–4 plants per m² together form a closed carpet.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.6 m tall, 0.8 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Roses: Covers the bare base of the roses and flowers for just as long.
• Lady’s mantle: Frothy yellow flowers and soft leaves beside the pink, in sun or partial shade.
• Columbine: Flowers in May above the young leaves, in the same sun or partial shade.
• Japanese anemone: Flowers in late summer alongside the second flush, even in partial shade.
• Fountain grass: Airy plumes in autumn as a contrast with the broad leaves.

Druce’s 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 not frozen or waterlogged.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in a spadeful of compost.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in the pot and firm the soil well.
4. Leave 50–60 cm between plants; under roses, plant them 30–40 cm from the base of the rose.
5. Water well straight away and keep the soil moist for the first few weeks.
6. Spread a thin layer of compost or leaf mould as a mulch around the plants.

Care

Water

In the first year during dry spells. Later only in long dry periods, especially in full sun.

Feeding

A spadeful of compost in March. After cutting back in July, a little compost helps the new growth along.

Cutting back

If it falls apart in July, cut it back to 5–10 cm: within a few weeks you will have fresh leaves and new flowers.

Seedlings

It self-seeds. If you do not want that, weed out the seedlings while young: they often do not look like the parent.

Dividing

Every 3–5 years, when the clump gets too big or goes bare in the middle.

Tip: Cut it back to 5–10 cm in July if it falls open, then water: within a few weeks you will have a fresh clump that flowers pink until October.

Druce’s cranesbill: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and July.

When: In July, after the first big flush of flowers, when the plant falls open. In March, tidy away the old leaves.

How:

• In July, cut all stems and old leaves back to 5–10 cm above the ground; for large areas, hedge shears will do.
• Then water and give a little compost: after 3–4 weeks fresh leaves appear, followed by new flowers until October.
• If you cut back before the seed is ripe, it also self-seeds less.
• In March, cut away leaves that died or were damaged over winter, just above the new shoots.

Caution: After cutting back, the spot looks bare for a few weeks. In a dry spell, only cut back if you water afterwards.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In March–April or September–October, lift the clump and split it with a spade; replant straight away and water. This keeps cultivars true.

Seedlings

It self-seeds freely. Move young seedlings in spring; because it is a hybrid, they vary in colour and vigour.

Cuttings

In April, take young shoots from the base and root them in moist cutting compost.

Druce’s cranesbill: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Hardy to about −30 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• In mild winters some of the leaves stay green; in hard winters they die back and the plant shoots again in spring.
• Leave the old leaves until March: they protect the crown of the plant.
• In a pot: stand it against a wall in winter and wrap the pot in hessian during hard frost.

Diseases and pests

• Falling open: After the first flowering, the long stems flop and the centre goes bare. Cutting back in July solves it.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in late summer, especially in dry weather. Water, cut back and give the plants space.
• Slugs: They eat young shoots in spring; mature plants suffer little. Pick them off in the evening or set a beer trap.
• Too many seedlings: It self-seeds generously and sometimes swamps smaller plants. Cut back before the seed ripens and weed out seedlings while young.

Through the year

• March: Cut away old leaves. Give compost. Plant and divide.
• April: Plant and divide. Take cuttings. Watch for slugs.
• May: Flowering begins.
• June: Full bloom. Water in dry spells.
• July: After the first flush, cut back to 5–10 cm. Water and give compost.
• August: Fresh leaves and new buds. Water in dry spells.
• September: Second flush of flowers. Plant and divide.
• October: Last flowers. Plant.
• November: Leave the old leaves as winter protection.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The name oxonianum means ‘of Oxford’. The English name Druce’s cranesbill and the cultivar ‘Claridge Druce’ refer to George Claridge Druce, a botanist from Oxford.
• The hybrid arises by itself wherever Geranium endressii and Geranium versicolor grow together. Because the offspring are fertile and differ from one another, new forms keep turning up in gardens; many cultivars were found as chance seedlings.