Geranium maculatum 'Espresso'

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Price:  £4.50 Notify me when this item is available Family:  Geraniaceae Main Season:  Spring Flower Colour:  Pink Leaf Colour:  Brown/Purple/Red Foliage:  Deciduous Position:  Shade Soil Type:  Good, moist, humus-rich Height:  45cm to 60cm (18" to 2') Peat Free?  Not yet Hardiness Guide:  RHS H7 minimum at least -20C Pot Size:  9cm Availability:      None available at present. View our Pot Size guide:

An American form with purple leaves, best in sun for the colour. Mauve pink flowers to 40cm. Needs humusy retentive soil in sun or shade.

Geranium maculatum 'Espresso' was the first available form with brown leaves and is still an excellent garden plant.  The flower colour does vary according to the season and conditions but when it is growing well, and happy, it will be a good pink, if the plant is struggling or in too much sun then it tends to be paler.

Geranium maculatum comes from the north east USA and neighbouring Canada where it grows in deciduous woodland that can be quite damp in winter and gradually dries out in summer.  Obviously the closer you can get to those conditions the easier it is to grow in the garden.  Damp winter and dry summer under deciduous trees or shrubs!

From North Creek Nurseries in the USA, we first got it in 2004 but it's name doesn't seem to have been official until 2008!   Often mis-spelt Geranium maculatum 'Expresso' - one of my pet hates!