Geranium lancastriense hybrid M

[John85]

Many years ago I saw a hybrid of G. sanguineum lancastrense(now striatum ) in the gar den of the late dutch geranium enthousiast Mr walsweer.It was a bit like a pink version of nanum.The flowers were smaller than those of lancastrense.The plant was not as vigorous neither.It needed more nutritious soil than lancastrense.(Probably a characteristic of his other parent). Nevertheless a nice plant for the small rock garden.Is it still in cultivation?Perhaps in the Nederlands?I have unfortunately no name for it
Help please.

[maggiepie]

John, I have these nanum seedlings, did the plant look like either of them?

[mark smyth]

The white one is very nice

[mark smyth]

John are you referring to Geranium nanum or G. sanguineum nanum

[Maggi Young]

 changed the thread title for  correct spelling of lancastriense....

[mark smyth]

well spotted.

[loes]

no mailorder but a lot of geranium photo`s on http://kwekerij.janneelenvasteplanten.nl/?page_id=5&category=7

[maggiepie]

Fantastic list of geraniums, if only I lived in The Netherlands 
They are listing G. farreri

[Lvandelft]

Many years ago I saw a hybrid of G. sanguineum lancastrense(now striatum ) in the gar den of the late dutch geranium enthousiast Mr walsweer.It was a bit like a pink version of nanum.The flowers were smaller than those of lancastrense.The plant was not as vigorous neither.It needed more nutritious soil than lancastrense.(Probably a characteristic of his other parent). Nevertheless a nice plant for the small rock garden.Is it still in cultivation?Perhaps in the Nederlands?I have unfortunately no name for it
Help please.

John85, I presume that you are referring to the plant we used to grow in Holland as Geranium sanguineum var. lancastriense.
This plant grows only 15 to 20 cm. in height and has dark green leaves and good pink flowers.
It is the only useful form of G. sanguineum for a rockgarden together with the form called 'minutum', but that one is not a good flowering one in my experience.
The form 'nanum' in the trade here is a bad, huge form of G. sanguineum with rather small flowers and should not be offered, it is no NANUM at all!
Now we only see the name Geranium sanguineum var. striatum  in several forms (but all are at least 30 cms high)  in the trade, but the lower form seems to be disappeared. I presume this plant was the same as Geranium sanguineum var. striatum  Farrer's Form. In the last trials at Wisley I cannot find anything about this form.
Last year I found a plant with the name "var. lancastriense" at the nursery of Cathy Portier nr. Brugge (B)  and they said it was the lower form we used to grow. Now I will have to wait until it flowers this year to see if it is this form.

[zephirine]

My own G. lancastriense never reached 15cm in height...does that mean that I could have the "lower form" you are referring to, John?
Here are a few pics with other plants around to give you the scale:

[mark smyth]

I removed my plant last year because it was running too much and maybe over 60cm across

[John85]

Helen I apologize.I meant G .sanguineum nanum(now Little bead ),but thanks to you we all saw nice pictures of the true G. nanum.I never grew it.Can you tell me a bit more about it .I would like to try it

[maggiepie]

John, not much I can tell you about it.
I got the seeds from the seed exchange a couple of years ago.
Don't think it is hardy ( at least for here ) and have several plants wintering inside at the moment.
If they survive and flower this year I can try and save you a few seeds, if I can get to them before the stinkbugs do.
It is a lovely little plant.

[Darren]

Several years ago I saw a label saying G. nanum on the raised bed outside the alpine house at RGBE. There was no sign of the plant though... A shame as it was collected by a friend.

My own died out after a couple of years - I think a wet winter killed it off.

Re 'lancastriense':  I still use this name. I have a suspicion that some botanist from the south of England changed it because they did not like the idea of such a nice plant being named for a place "up north"  I'm staying loyal to my Lancashire roots, as well as demonstarting my northern obstinacy, by keeping the name.

We lived a mile from the type locality (on Walney Island, where my wife Susan grew up) until 2004 and i was able to observe it in the wild over many seasons. It grows fully intermingled with the usual sanguineum (see pic below) but there are no obvious intermediates (perhaps the difference is due to only one gene which is either there or not?). I also observed little variation in habit, though the grazing makes it hard to tell - even normal sanguineum is only a few cm high here.

[Darren]

Here is a pic of the population at the same locality. Mostly the type form but with very scattered individuals of 'lancastriense'. An utterly lovely place to visit in June but finding this spot isn't easy. Guiding services available at £500 per day....

Well it was worth a try.