Geraniaceae 2011

[mark smyth]

Brian where does your plant grow? Could it be my plants need more sun. Can you get a closeup of the flowers? Yours seem to have different shape compared to mine

[John85]

Brian
Your G.tuberosum looks different to mine.The flowers of your plant are closer to the foliage and the leaves are not as divided as those of my plant.

[Brian Ellis]

Brian where does your plant grow? Could it be my plants need more sun. Can you get a closeup of the flowers? Yours seem to have different shape compared to mine

Will have to wait for the morning now!  It was given to me as tuberosum so I hope it is!

[Brian Ellis]

Mark my plant is growing at the foot of a Deutzia, near a holly tree.  It is in semi-shade rather than full sun I would say and is hemmed in by other plants...like the rest of the garden.  Here are some pictures from this morning...has it been misnamed?

[mark smyth]

If it is G. tuberosum it's an excellent form but the leaves look nothing like my plant.

What is the growth habit of yours? I see leaves in early winter and they increase steadily until the rush of growth in early April. By June the plant will have died down

[John85]

Brian The flowers  also are different.The petals of my plant are broader overlapping slightly and are hart shaped;The leaves are very much like those of Mark's plant.Do you remember how the bulbs are?I had a look at a leaflet published by a french geranium enthusiast about bulbous geraniums and the shape of the bulb helps determination.If you have a look at Yeo's book you'll see that the leaf  of G. tuberosum is very divided .So what is your plant?Do you remember where you got it from?Very interesting!

[Brian Ellis]

I have obviously been given something else, sorry for the confusion chaps.  The growth begins in early Spring and will have disappeared entirely by May/June, unfortunately the donor is no longer with us.  It's a nice memory of her but obviously not what she said, I wonder what it is!

[mark smyth]

I'm thinking Brian's plant may be peloponnesiacum that has become stretched to get better light

peloponnesiacum (60cm) from Greece and flowers in May. Mine are buds only but Brian is further south
libani (40cm) from Lebanon, Syria and Turkey and flowers in April and May. I dont grow it

Both species cross with their relative Geranium renardii. Others in the family are platypetalum, ibericum, the annual bohemicum and x magnificum.  

[Brian Ellis]

Thanks for your input Mark, I'm not entirely convinced the foliage is the same, will have to take a snap of that to show you.

[mark smyth]

when you go out have a wee poke and see if it has a thick tuber at the base.

[Brian Ellis]

I'll have to have a wee poke in the morning Mark, missed your message and just got time to post this before going out.  It looks to be a bit more divided to me, although the photos aren't that marvellous!

[maggiepie]

Brian, I don't have a clue what you have there but think you are very lucky to have it.

[mark smyth]

Another excellent Geranium for this time of year and small enough for troughs is G. traversale

[John85]

Nice picture Mark.Do you grow any of the hybrids of renardii with peloponnesiacum or libani?

[mark smyth]

Yes.
Stephanie is the only one I know is a cross