Description
White geranium has a sweet, five-petaled, white to pale pink flower with purple veins that blooms throughout the late spring and summer in moist mountain habitat. This perennial wildflower has a wide reaching range throughout the American West and north into British Columbia, and is one of the most widespread Western geraniums. The westernmost population of white geranium in the United States occurs on the Siskiyou Crest in southwest Oregon, but this species is otherwise absent throughout the rest of the Klamath-Siskiyou region. It grows in moist or wet places, such as wet meadows and along seeps, springs and creeks. White geranium is in the geranium (Geraniaceae) plant family also referred to by the additional common name, Richardson’s geranium. Preferring loamy or clay soils, white geranium can grow 8″ – 32″ tall from a woody taproot. It has palmately divided basal leaves that are 2″ – 6″ with long petioles. White geranium flowers are attractive to native bees and other pollinators and is considered deer resistant. Grow in full sun to part-shade and provide medium to wet soil moisture. The genus name, from the Greek geranos (“crane”), refers to the fruit’s (schizocarp’s) beak. The fruit looks like a small pointed spear.
White geranium (Geranium richardsonii) seed packets contain approximately 75 seeds per packet.
Seed Germination Instructions
30-60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
