Geranium yoshinoi Confetti

Geranium yoshinoi 'Confetti' is a small perennial geranium. In spring, it bears round and fuzzy foliage. It spreads through creeping stems. This ornamental foliage is irregularly variegated green with white and sometimes spotted with pink in cool weather. In summer, small pink flowers appear above the foliage. Cutting the flower stems after flowering improves the overall appearance of the plant, encourages new growth, and prevents overly invasive self-seeding. This geranium appreciates a sunny to semi-shady position.

Geranium yoshinoi is an attractive and vigorous species that originates from Honshu, the main island of Japan. It belongs to the Geraniaceae family. It forms a low ground cover with creeping stems, 15 to 25cm (6 to 10in) in height. Its leaves are lobed and fuzzy. They appear in spring in different shades of green, irregularly variegated with white. If the weather is cool, they are tinged with pink. This variegation is less pronounced as the season goes on. The plant flowers from June to October, with small pink blooms scattered along the stems above the foliage. If the flower stems are not pruned after flowering, the plant can self-seed abundantly and freely in the garden.

Plant Geranium yoshinoi 'Confetti' in well-drained, slightly moist to dry soil, in sun or semi-shade. Its slightly disorderly and creeping growth allows it to form an interesting ground cover in wilder areas of the garden or under trees. You can also plant it in the border of naturalistic or cottage-style flower beds, with sages, catmints, yarrows, Knautias, and small grasses.