Striped bloody cranesbill

Questions about striped bloody cranesbill

Does striped bloody cranesbill need sun or shade?

Striped bloody cranesbill grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day) and part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and little watering once settled.

What zones does striped bloody cranesbill grow in?

USDA zones 3 to 8. It is hardy to zone 3, which means it survives winter nights down to about −30 °F (−34 °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 striped bloody cranesbill flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late May to late August. As a spring flower it moves about a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer, later where it is colder.

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 striped bloody cranesbill be planted?

16 in (40 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 18 in (45 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 6 in (15 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many striped bloody cranesbill plants do I need?

At 16 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

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

In a mixed border, plant it as threes and fives, along the front and just behind it.

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

Is striped bloody cranesbill poisonous to dogs and cats?

No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension.

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

Is there a native plant like striped bloody cranesbill?

Striped bloody cranesbill comes from Europe to Caucasus. These North American natives come closest to doing its job:

• Creeping phlox: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers mid April to mid May.
• Woodland strawberry: the same job in a bed and the same flowering time; 4 in narrower, white, not pink.

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

Do deer eat striped bloody cranesbill?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer and rabbits. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

What flowers after striped bloody cranesbill?

Striped bloody cranesbill is over by late August. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Garden chrysanthemum: from mid September to late October, 24 in tall.
• Japanese anemone: from mid August to early October, 3 ft tall.
• Sedum 'Autumn Joy': from mid August to mid October, 24 in tall.

What does striped bloody cranesbill look like in winter?

Striped bloody cranesbill 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.

Is striped bloody cranesbill good for bees and butterflies?

Striped bloody cranesbill is visited by pollinators, specialist bees and butterflies.