Geranium sylvaticum var. wanneri

The Geranium sylvaticum var. wanneri is a beautiful variety of Wood Geranium, not widely available in commerce, which is characterized by its small white-pink flowers, strongly veined with violet-pink. It is a lush, deciduous herbaceous perennial, well-suited to the damp shade of the undergrowth. It forms a spreading cushion, which is illuminated by abundant spring and summer flowering. Resembling the perennial meadow geranium, it is distinguished by its slightly less dissected foliage. Ideal in cool and shady areas of the garden, in a natural garden, it is not afraid of harsh winter cold, and tolerates heavy and moist soils. This charming and simple plant will find its place in all gardens.

Geranium sylvaticum var. wanneri belongs to the Geraniaceae family. It is a subspecies of Wood Geranium, native to Europe, where it grows in undergrowth and damp meadows. This large, hardy herbaceous perennial forms a bushy and spreading mass of 40 cm (16in) in flower, with a spread of 30 cm (12in), its growth is quite rapid. It blooms in summer, from May to July, with open cup-shaped flowers, in a fresh and bright color, white with pale pink veins. The flowers, 2 to 3 cm (1in) in diameter, are grouped in compact clusters. Its basal leaves are composed of 7 deeply cut and toothed lobes, borne on branched stems. The foliage is deciduous. The plant is pubescent, glandular at the top, and has a thick and oblique stump.

Perennial and vigorous, this variety thrives in shade, it enjoys coolness and self-seeds spontaneously in humus-rich soils, forming magnificent colonies, spectacular in the undergrowth in spring. It will be magnificent in a shade border, associated with brunneras, epimediums, or bleeding hearts.