Geranium maderense

‘Guernsey White’

GUERNSEY WHITE MADEIRA CRANESBILLS

Geranium maderense ‘Guernsey White’
GUERNSEY WHITE MADEIRA CRANESBILLS

A huge bouquet of white flowers, erupt as a great cloud from Geranium maderense ‘Guernsey White’ – the White Madeira Cranesbill.

HUGE cloud of white flowers

Maderense is certainly the largest of the lovely Geranium family, and doubtless the most spectacular.

Mass of white blossoms with pink eyes

This is the more unusual and scarce white form.
So it makes clouds of hundreds of white blossoms, each with a pink eye.
Simply stunning.

Long blooming showstopper

Gerenium maderense ‘Guernsey White’ is long blooming, with that spectacular head of flowers beginning to billow in late spring, and becoming a great white cloud in summer.

Magnificent architectural foliage

Deeply cut leaves are dark green and held on vivid red stems.

A cunning trick of a plant

But the Madeira Cranesbill has developed a cunning trick.
Because it needs to hold up that massive head of flowers against the Atlantic gales of its Madeira island homeland.
So as the flower head develops, stout lower leaf stems bend down and jab into the soil, forming a circle of strong buttress props.
And we thought human architects invented the flying buttress!

Easy to grow plant

(Please see “GROWING” section below for plant details, how & where to grow).

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY

Sow at any time of year in a punnet indoors, whenever suitable temperatures can be provided (20-25°C).
OR
Sow directly in the garden in late winter-early spring.

Sow indoors for optimum germination & early plants: First sow the seeds in a punnet on the surface of good quality seed raising mix.
Then press seeds into surface of mix to ensure good contact.
And barely cover with a light dusting of sieved mix, as light is needed for seed germination.

Thoroughly moisten the punnet by standing it in a shallow water bath, and allowing the moisture to percolate up to the surface of the mix from below.

Place the punnet in a well lit position (But not in any direct sunlight – as this will dry out the seeds and prevent germination).

Temperatures of 20-25°C approx. are best for optimum germination.
And you can use a heat mat to maintain warmth if you have one.

Continue to keep the punnet moist by misting regularly from a spray water bottle.
Covering the punnet with a clear plastic cover or bag, between mistings, will also help to maintain necessary consistent moisture.
Make sure you remove cover as soon as sprouting commences.

Most seedlings should emerge in approx. 10-28 days.

Seed Count: 10 seeds per pack approx. 
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

GROWING: Geranium maderense ‘Guernsey White’

– Height with flowers: Billowing great round cloud of flowers, to approx. 90 to 120cm.
– Width: The flower cloud is as wide as it is high. But even without flowers, the foliage crown with its propping arms is also approx. 90cm. in diameter.
Geranium maderense ‘Guernsey White’ really makes a dramatic statement in the garden.
– Soil: Geranium maderense easily adapts to a wide variety of soils, from sandy to clay, providing they do not remain wet for long periods.
It is tolerant of a wide pH range, on both the acid and alkaline (lime) side of neutral.
– Frost: Tolerant of light frosts, however overhead protection is needed where frosts are below approx. -5C. Luckily it enjoys some shade.

Other benefits

– Fragrance: The magnificent and decorative leaves are also aromatic.
– Wind hardy: Geranium maderense, as the name implies, is native to the island of Madeira. Here it is regularly blasted by Atlantic Ocean gales. So it has naturally adapted to withstand severe winds by using strong leaf stems as a circle of buttress props. It is also hardy in seaside conditions.
– Growth: Geranium maderense is a self seeding biennial. So it will reliably provide you with replacement plants, plus some to share. They are easy to weed out if they volunteer where you don’t want them. The parent plant will die after its spectacular effort.
– Beneficial for wildlife: Bees, butterflies and all the other beneficial insects cant believe their luck – so many flowers – so close together. A lazy bee’s paradise.

Hardy & easy to grow

– Position: Happy in either Full Sun, Partial Shade or Shade.
Geranium maderense enjoys summer humidity, so is well suited to sub-tropical gardens.
And it appreciates some overhead cover for protection in areas of heavy frost.
But is ideal for seaside and windy gardens.
– Water: Geranium maderense is not a thirsty plant, and robust during periods of dry. So normal average garden water is more than enough. And it prefers to dry out between waterings.

Low care

– Care:  Prefers deep watering and drying out between drinks (avoid over-head watering).
Cut the great head back hard after flowering if you want the bonus of a second and sometimes third flush of flowers.
But do let some flowers go to seed at the end of summer, so you have plants to share next year.
– Deer & Rabbit resistant: The aromatic leaves smell nice to us but are not appetising to deer or rabbits.
– Origin: As the botanical name implies, this geranium is native to the island of Madeira. So it is naturally adapted to wind, seaside, and poorer soil.

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