Perennial · Geraniaceae family
hardy geranium
Geranium macrorrhizum
In short a 10-second read
Hardy geranium (perennial) grows to 0.3–0.45 m tall and 0.3–0.6 m wide when mature. It grows best in full sun to shade, in dry to average soil. It flowers in May–July; the flowers are pink, purple or white. Hardy to −32 °C.
× spread 0.3–0.6 m
Where to plant
Sun, soil, frost.
It grows best in full sun to shade, in dry to average soil. Hardy to −32 °C.
Sun
Tolerates several positions — choose to suit the rest of the garden.
Soil and water
dry to average · watering: little
Soil: loamy, sandy, gravelly
Soil pH 5.5–7.5
Frost
It copes with a normal winter outdoors.
How much space it takes
Mature size.
The mature plant next to a person (175 cm).
Next to a person
Reaches maturity in about 2–5 years. The final size depends on the cultivar and the spot — we give the range from smallest to largest.
Calendar
What to do and when.
Months for Central Europe. The line shows the current month.
The year at a glance
Flowers
May–July · pink, purple or white
Pruning
prune after flowering (July–August)
Planting
container plant: March–May, September–November
Winter protection
not needed
Overwintering
It copes with winter on its own.
It overwinters outdoors without protection, hardy to −32 °C.
- Needs no protection
- Hardy to −32 °C
- Dies back in winter and regrows in spring
What to combine it with
Same needs, different flowering.
They share the same sun and soil and flower in other months — so the bed flowers for longer.
Frequently asked
Quick answers.
When does hardy geranium flower?
In May–July; the flowers are pink, purple or white.
Does hardy geranium tolerate shade?
Yes, it tolerates full shade.
How much space does hardy geranium need?
At maturity 0.3–0.6 m wide and 0.3–0.45 m tall; recommended spacing 40 cm.
Does hardy geranium survive winter outdoors?
Yes, without protection, hardy to −32 °C.
Where the data comes from
The data is indicative — we are still comparing it with further sources. Last checked 14 October 2026.
Show sources (22)
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Geranium macrorrhizum
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Geranium macrorrhizum
- GBIF Occurrence Search API — Geranium macrorrhizum
- Wikidata (CC0) — Geranium macrorrhizum
- RHS Plant Finder
- Bamberger Staudengarten (Strobler), katalóg
- Gärtnerei Strickler, katalóg
- Foerster-Stauden, katalóg
- Sarastro Stauden, katalóg
- Iowa State Extension - How to Plant Perennials
- RHS - How to grow perennial plants
- perennials.com (Bressingham/Perennial Resource)
- perennials.com (Bressingham/Perennial Resource)
- Plant Lust
- perennials.com (Bressingham/Perennial Resource)
- Plant Lust
- Invasive plant lists — this species is not on them: EU, Slovakia, Czechia, Germany, Poland, Denmark
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