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Old 27-11-2007, 10:27 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Dave Poole Dave Poole is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jan 2004
Location: Torquay S. Devon
Posts: 478
Default Strange plant, can anyone idenify it for me?

Bob is quite right, there is no doubt that the plant in the pic is
Geranium palmatum. Whilst the leaves appear similar to those of G.
maderense as mentioned by Stewart, the pinnae of the latter species
are just that bit more narrow, more deeply indented and sharper at the
apices. Although it is one of the more tender species, it seems to be
hardier than both G. maderense and G. canariense. G. palmatum is well
established in my garden - as prolific and almost as 'weedy' as our
native 'herb robert' (Geranium robertianum). It has escaped and is
naturalised in the lane at the back of the garden. Luckily it is
easily removed where it is not wanted.

As a garden plant it has much to commend it; carrying very large
clusters of sizeable purple-red flowers over several weeks in summer.
It is sometimes claimed to be biennial, but I have a plant that will
be 7 years old by next spring. Well worth holding on to Phil - I
think you will enjoy the show of flowers next summer. By then the
plant will have developed into a fair sized mound of foliage and you
can expect many hundreds of 3cms+ flowers carried on branching racemes
to 1m. high or more.