Geranium phaeum var lividum

The Perennial Geranium phaeum var. lividum, also known as Brown Geranium, Blackish Geranium, or Livid Geranium, offers a gentle harmony of light colors, with its pale lilac translucent flowers with gray highlights and its light green acidulous foliage. It is a beautiful herbaceous perennial, very hardy, flowering in spring with an abundance of small silky flowers, carried in clusters well above the foliage. They are downward-facing, with open cups. It forms a small semi-evergreen bush, resilient to wind, accommodating in terms of soil and exposure, even in occasionally dry shade.

 The Perennial Geranium phaeum var. lividum belongs to the Geraniaceae family. It is closely related to Geranium phaeum, native to the mountains of southern and central Europe, in a wide area extending from the Pyrenees to the Balkans. It forms a clump of semi-evergreen foliage, 45 cm (18in) tall when in flower, and 30 cm (0 and 12in) wide. It has a dense and erect habit. Flowering takes place in May-June, and sporadically during summer under not too dry conditions. The flower itself is relatively discreet, measuring only 2 to 3 cm (1in) in diameter, but it is precious in all its details. Its translucent petals, with silky reflections, are pale lilac or mauve, with a nearly white central area, and the center is crowned with gracefully curved pink stamens around the pistil, resembling butterfly trunks. The flowers are very numerous, arranged in clusters along slender floral stems that stand out distinctly from the foliage. The leaves are lobed and divided into 5 large lobes, a very bright light green with yellow undertones. G. phaeum self-seeds abundantly in the garden and readily hybridizes with each other.

Geranium phaeum var. lividum does not exhibit a flashy and spectacular flowering as its flowers are small and light. However, the clumps do not go unnoticed in May. It is an excellent ground cover to enliven a wild garden or brighten a woodland. It tolerates shade, even dense shade, and withstands drought once established. In a woodland setting, it is a good companion for acid-green euphorbias and pastel-toned lungworts. The slightly lower, lighter-flowered Geranium nodosum will serve the same purpose in the shade. Plant it along a north or east-facing alley, among ferns and bergenia, in front of hydrangeas, rhododendrons, and camellias. It will blend well with all shade and part-shade perennials such as fuchsias, hostas, periwinkles, hellebores, and barrenworts.