Erodium Bishops Form - Storksbill

<p align="justify"><strong>The <em><a href="https://en.promessedefleurs.eu/perennials/perennials-by-variety/erodium-stork-s-bills.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Erodium</a></em></strong> is much less known than its relatives, hardy geraniums and pelargoniums. However, it is <strong>a charming little perennial groundcover with finely dissected foliage</strong>, more or less evergreen depending on the species, and <strong>topped with a long flowering period</strong>. Its small, cup-shaped flowers come <strong>in various shades of pink, white, or even yellow</strong> in some varieties, and the petals often feature <strong>fine veining or small spots</strong> that add depth to the corollas. <strong>The flowering extends from spring to autumn, thriving in full sun and well-drained soil, even clayey and calcareous.</strong></p> <p align="justify">Some varieties are annual, while others behave as perennials, and although the lifespan of <em>Erodium</em> can be quite short, it is a plant that often self-seeds.</p> <p align="justify"><strong>Its commendable hardiness</strong>, around -15°C, <strong>makes it suitable for many gardens</strong>. Its main enemy is stagnant moisture in winter. <strong>Therefore, it requires</strong> <strong>appropriate drainage</strong>, especially in heavy soil.</p> <p align="justify"><strong>Easy to grow</strong> under good cultivation conditions, <strong>this perennial, which develops rather slowly, forms a cushion about ten centimetres high for the smaller species, up to around 40 cm</strong>, adopting a fairly regular dome habit, often wider than tall.</p> <p align="justify"><strong>Unfussy</strong> and able to thrive where other plants might struggle, <strong>it allows for greening up hostile areas</strong>, in stony, poor, and dry soil, but it also thrives in richer soil, provided it is not in competition with more vigorous neighbours.</p> [caption id="attachment_97627" align="aligncenter" width="1172"]<a href="https://www.promessedefleurs.com/blogwp/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Erodium-cicutarium-Andreas-Rockstein-1.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-97627" src="https://www.promessedefleurs.com/blogwp/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Erodium-cicutarium-Andreas-Rockstein-1.jpg" alt="Erodiums, Crane's-bills, Geranium" width="1172" height="581" /></a> Erodium cicutarium (© Andreas Rockstein)[/caption]