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Dusky Cranesbill Wikimedia Commons
Geraniaceae

Dusky Cranesbill

Geranium phaeum

Mystery and melancholy.

Family
Geraniaceae
Genus
Geranium
Native to
Europe
Bloom season
Spring, Summer
Type
Perennial
Height
50-80 cm
Sunlight
Partial shade to full shade
Soil
Moist, well-drained
Water
Moderate
Hardiness
4-8
Lifespan
Perennial

Did you know

  • It is one of the few garden flowers that thrives in deep shade.
  • The flowers are so dark they appear nearly black, earning the common name 'mourning widow'.
  • Its reflexed petals curl backwards, giving each bloom an unusual nodding appearance.
  • It readily self-seeds and can naturalize in woodland settings.
  • Medieval herbalists used it to treat wounds and believed it had magical protective properties.

Color meanings

0

Melancholy

1

Mystery

2

Comfort in sadness

Uses

  • Shade gardens
  • Woodland plantings
  • Ground cover
  • Wildlife gardens