Geranium ID wanted

[Paul T]

I have a friend who supposedly has heaps of maderense seedlings at her place..... I reckon they're all canariense.  I'm not really sure how to positively ID them though.  I know what a mature maderense is supposed to look like, but do small ones of that ever flower, or only with a full flowerhead when they're large enough?  And if they do flower, is it a small "head" of flowers then, or just a few here and there?

Anyone know?

[mark smyth]

Paul the flowers of palmatum, canariense and maderense are quite different

G. canariense
G. maderense
G. palmatum
G. palmatum x G. canariense

the flowers of G. palmatum - top, G. rubescens - bottom left, and G. robertianum - bottom right

[mark smyth]

A mature G. maderense and when wind blew it over

The flower head of G. maderense in bud and full flower - note the sticky pink hairs

[Roma]

I see Mark has beaten me to it, but I spent a while this afternoon looking through piles of prints, found two of Geranium maderense, scanned and resized them so here is a mature plant in a greenhouse at the Cruickshank Botanic garden.  It was about 5 foot tall.

[mark smyth]

A bit stretched I think but magnificent.

Mine grew out side in 2004, stayed there over the winter but fleeced heavily during frost and flowered in April 2005. I want some again and rubescens and canariense ...

[Lesley Cox]

I may be quite wrong but I think maderense grows for a few years until ready to flower, then flowers then dies. The one in Roma's pictures look about the size it grows here outdoors, at least in coastal areas. I've certainly seen it at over a metre. Not sure how it would do say, in Central Otago. I don't think young plants flower.

[Roma]

It is a while since I have grown it but you are right Lesley it grows a few years into quite a big plant in good conditions ( in the soil in a greenhouse in Aberdeen) before it flowers.  It then flowers over a few months and dies after setting lots of seed.  It does not do very well in a pot.  The best plants we had were self sown seedlings in a border in the corridor which connected the greenhouses.  I used to weed them out and leave one or two of the strongest to mature.

[Paul T]

Thanks for the flower comparisons, Mark.  I love the shots of the maderense in full flower.  The one I have seen in person was just like that, and I think took 2 years to get there (I think that is what the owner told me).  Amazing plant when in flower, but it really does need some space, doesn't it.  I love the leaves acting as butresses to hold it up, but with the size of the flowerhead it definitely needs support.

Thanks again folks.  I'll check on my friend's plant this afternoon hopefully and work out whether it is canariense or not.

[AndreasH]

I use the old thread to ask for a new identification of a minute, prostrate Geranium, which is white flowering. It could be growing annual, but i´m not sure about. The only specimen germinated in spring as a weed in a cushion of Dianthus 'La Bourbole' 'La Bourboule'. While producing numerous seeds, it could prove weedy.
Does anybody know the plant and it´s name? Many thanks.

[Karaba]

I use the old thread to ask for a new identification of a minute, prostrate Geranium, which is white flowering. It could be growing annual, but i´m not sure about. The only specimen germinated in spring as a weed in a cushion of Dianthus 'La Bourbole'. While producing numerous seeds, it could prove weedy.

No idea about the geranium but a rectification of a small mistake : this is "La Bourboule" from a village in Massif central in Central France. It should be a selection of Dianthus gratianopolitanus which is native there.

[AndreasH]

Many thanks, Karaba, for this important note.