The cranesbills, which are closely related to pelargoniums (usually known as "geraniums" in the vernacular), not only inspire with their eye-catching, colorful flowers. Many Geranium species also have beautiful, rich green foliage, which sometimes even turns a rich red in autumn, adding another splash of color.
Cranesbill leaves are slightly more delicate than geraniums
Cranesbill leaves have different appearances
Most cranesbill species have more or less strongly lobed leaves, which can also have perforations or soft, downy hairs. The leaves of other species, on the other hand, are more similar to the foliage of geraniums with their round shape. The dominant leaf color is mostly a solid medium to dark green, although some cranesbills also develop leaves in various shades of green or with spots.
Cranesbill as a foliage perennial
One of the species with such strikingly patterned foliage is the comparatively slow-blooming Caucasus cranesbill, which, thanks to its pretty foliage, is very popular as a decorative foliage perennial. Also suitable as such are species with a more or less intense red autumn colour, which bring color back into the autumn garden after flowering. In this context, the Siberian cranesbill is particularly striking, as it flowers very late and its strong purple-pink flowers can often be admired at the same time as the intense orange-red autumn color of the foliage.
Cranesbills and their leaves - an overview
| German name | Latin designation | leaf shape | leaf color | autumn coloring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge cranesbill | Geranium cantabrigiense | seven-lobed, dentate | light green | reddish |
| Gray cranesbill | Geranium cinereum | heavily lobed, broad | grey-green | no |
| Clarke's cranesbill | Geranium clarkei | lobed, pointed at the tips | medium green | no |
| Rozanne | Geranium cultorum | lobed, bluntly toothed, long | medium green | no |
| Himalayan Cranesbill | Geranium himalayense | lobed, bluntly toothed, very long | medium green, conspicuously veined | no |
| Heartleaf cranesbill | Geranium ibericum | lobed, dentate, very long | medium green | reddish |
| Rock Cranesbill | Geranium macrorrhizum | roundly lobed | evergreen | no |
| Magnificent cranesbill | Geranium magnificum | lobed, dentate, hairy | medium green | Yes |
| Knotty Mountain Forest Cranesbill | Geranium nodosum | three-lobed, toothed | bright green | no |
| Oxford cranesbill | Geranium oxonianum | lobed, dentate, heavily veined | light green | no |
| Brown cranesbill | Geranium phaeum | doubly lobed, very long | pale green with purplish brown spots | no |
| Armenian cranesbill | Geranium psilostemon | lobed, toothed | medium green, red when sprouting | Red |
| Caucasus cranesbill | Geranium renardii | broad, hairy, veined | grey-green | no |
| Bloody Cranesbill | Geranium sanguineum | deeply lobed, dentate | dark green | Red |
| Siberian cranesbill | Geranium wlassovianum | lobed, softly hairy | dark green, brown-pink when sprouting | Orange red |
tips
Depending on the species and variety, the geranium foliage should also be cut back from time to time, with the best time for this being either late autumn or spring.