Geranium Maderense

[Doris_Pinks]

It was one of those, "oh I must have that" plants! But with winter approaching, and no space to put this monster inside, I am wondering if the bubble wrap the pot, and fleece the plant, is going to do the trick over winter?
Info on the WWW varies considerably!
Anyone else got one of these,  and if so have you ever left it outside? I am in Sussex BTW. Thanks DP

[Doris_Pinks]

[MagpieDi]

Hi Dottie

Not too good on labelling  ::)  so not really sure if I had one or not, or even if the offspring is one either !! Hahaha!!

John Milller is kindly investigating !  ;D

In the meantime, I have browsed Trevor Bath's bible on Hardy Geraniums and still none the wiser ! He describes them all as like Giant Herb Roberts !!  ::)
The problem is that they are notoriously promiscuous ( aren't they lucky!  ;)  ;D ), so the seed I was given as Maderense may not have grown true to type!
In fact, the plant I have could be any of the Giant Herb Robert rosette types !

However, as it survived outside for 4 freezing Pennine winters, I'm now convinced it wasn't Maderense, but maybe Palmatum, Rubescens or possibly Canariense, or even a new hybrid !!

Here's a pic of the seedling.




Sorry Dottie, got a bit side-tracked there !  ::)  Back to your plant, it's precious, keep it warm, it's from Madeira after all !!  ;D

[Doris_Pinks]

Thanks Di, :-*! I guess I have to try and manhandle it in to the greenhouse somehow! :o

[Ragged Robin]

just to say we have these at the MOGH, we grow them outside all yr, but they are well establishedb and in very sheltered spot, but seem to survive the winters here in london

[Doris_Pinks]

MOGH? Just curious!  Think I may risk it and bubble wrap and fleece it!  Glad to hear they survive in London, not sooooooo far away here! Thank You  ;D

[Ragged Robin]

sorry Doris..just seen, MOGH= Museum of Garden History,

[campanula]

hello,
1 have a geranium maderense, now in it's third year, which has lived outside, nakedly, in E.Anglia(Cambridge) all its life. We have had two reasonably mild winters here and my garden is sheltered so it would be worth using some bubblewrap or fleece, at least during cold spells.However, it has never flowered but I believe it is monocarpic so will die when it does eventually flower. It does make fantastic foliage though and does a cute thing with the leaf stalks - they turn back in and support the trunk, sort of like guy ropes. I have also read that you need a huge pot for it to flower successfully and not to feed much or water it. If you do lose it, I believe that it is really easy to grow from seed. I love the hardy geraniums - they are such good doers. Does anyone grow 'Rozanne'? Naff name but fantastic variety, prolific, long flowering with a lovely scrambling habit. I manage to find a place for it in all the gardens I work in.
cheers, suzy

[Doris_Pinks]

Thanks for that Suzy, I too have heard they are easy to grow from seed and are monocarpic. Mine is only a year old but huge! And as you say foliage is lovely, very tropical looking! It is in the biggest pot I could afford, and fit in the car, so hopefully it will survive with a little protection!  Not heard of Rozanne, but have many geraniums crammed into my tiny garden! Will look out for that one ;D  DP