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Geraniaceae
Madeira Cranesbill
Geranium maderense
Island splendor.
- Family
- Geraniaceae
- Genus
- Geranium
- Native to
- Madeira Island, Portugal
- Bloom season
- Spring, Summer
- Type
- biennial to short-lived perennial
- Height
- 3-5 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun to part shade
- Soil
- well-drained, fertile
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- 9-11
- Lifespan
- biennial
Did you know
- Geranium maderense is the largest species in the entire Geranium genus, producing a spectacular dome of flowers up to 5 feet across.
- A single plant can produce over 1,000 flowers in a massive inflorescence before dying after blooming, a strategy called monocarpy.
- The dead leaf stalks bend downward to form prop-like supports that hold the heavy flowering stem upright, a remarkable structural adaptation.
- It is endemic to Madeira Island, where it is now rare in the wild due to habitat loss but thrives in cultivation worldwide.
- The species was first described scientifically in 1787 from plants growing in the laurel forests of Madeira at around 3,000 feet elevation.
Color meanings
0
gentility
1
unexpected beauty