Cranesbill 'Rozanne'

Questions about cranesbill 'Rozanne'

Does cranesbill 'Rozanne' need sun or shade?

Cranesbill 'Rozanne' grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day), part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun) and part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and a good soak in dry spells.

What zones does cranesbill 'Rozanne' grow in?

USDA zones 5 to 8. It is hardy to zone 5, which means it survives winter nights down to about −10 °F (−23 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does cranesbill 'Rozanne' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers early June to early October. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should cranesbill 'Rozanne' be planted?

24 in (60 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is about its full width, so each plant keeps its own outline.

It grows 18 in (45 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many cranesbill 'Rozanne' plants do I need?

At 24 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 3 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 6 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 10 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as one at a time, threaded between sturdier plants.

In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.

Is cranesbill 'Rozanne' poisonous to dogs and cats?

No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension. Hardy cranesbills are not considered poisonous. The tender bedding 'geraniums' (Pelargonium) are a different plant and are toxic to pets.

"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.

Is there a native plant like cranesbill 'Rozanne'?

Cranesbill 'Rozanne' is not native to North America. These North American natives come closest to doing its job:

• Burnet 'Tanna': the same job in a bed; 8 in narrower, flowers early July to early September.
• Harebell: the same job in a bed and the same colour; 6 in shorter, 16 in narrower.
• Scarlet coral bells: an edging, not a weaver, 8 in narrower.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

What flowers after cranesbill 'Rozanne'?

Cranesbill 'Rozanne' is over by early October. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Japanese onion 'Ozawa': from early October to early November, 10 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Chrysanthemum 'Sheffield Pink': from late September to early November, 2½ ft tall.
• Tatarian aster 'Jindai': from early October to early November, 4 ft tall.

What does cranesbill 'Rozanne' look like in winter?

Cranesbill 'Rozanne' dies down to the ground and there is nothing to see until spring. The old stems can be cut in autumn, or left until spring as shelter for overwintering insects.