Cranesbill as Ground Cover: The Best Varieties

In my search for the perfect ground cover for my garden, I kept coming across one plant: Cranesbill. What really stood out to me was how versatile and low-maintenance it is. Whether you’re dealing with full sun or tricky shady spots, Cranesbill seems to have an answer. But with so many species in the Geranium genus, I quickly realised not all are created equal. Some are much better suited for covering ground effectively, suppressing weeds, and adding long-lasting colour. Here are the varieties I found most impressive.

The Geranium genus includes some of the best ground cover plants for the garden. Here’s an overview of the top varieties.

Cranesbill is an ideal ground cover for the garden – if you choose the right varieties. With a clever selection of plants, it can be used to quickly cover both sunny and shady areas. But not all varieties are suitable – and the Geranium genus is very diverse. If you’re looking to green up bare patches or simply want something that’s both beautiful and practical, these Cranesbill varieties are worth a closer look:

Cranesbill as Ground Cover: The Best Varieties at a Glance

• Balkan or Rock Cranesbill
• Cambridge Cranesbill
• Caucasian Cranesbill
• Bloody Cranesbill
• Pyrenean Cranesbill

Why Should You Plant Cranesbill as Ground Cover?

Some species of Cranesbill are particularly well-suited for use as ground covers. They are characterized by their low, compact growth and quickly form dense mats. This allows them to suppress weeds effectively. With their partly evergreen foliage and long flowering periods, they also add vibrant color to the garden. Their blooms make them a valuable food source for bees. Cranesbill is also wonderfully low-maintenance, hardy – and a big bonus – slugs avoid it. If you want to plant large areas, you can easily propagate it yourself, saving a good deal of money.

Balkan Cranesbill (Geranium macrorrhizum)

Among all varieties, the Rock or Balkan Cranesbill is the most commonly used as ground cover. It’s best suited for part-shade to lightly shaded areas. In full shade, it doesn’t grow quite as vigorously, but still performs well. Balkan Cranesbill grows between 30 and 45 centimeters tall. During its blooming period from May to June, it displays an abundance of pink flowers. The foliage offers a lovely autumn color and emits the typical spicy fragrance of Cranesbill. Depending on the variety, plant six to eleven per square meter.

Cambridge Cranesbill (Geranium x cantabrigiense)

Cambridge Cranesbill is a cross between Balkan Cranesbill and Dalmatian Cranesbill (Geranium dalmaticum). It grows only about 25 centimeters tall, but can spread up to 50 centimeters wide. Its blooms appear from May to July and are purplish-pink or white. As a ground cover, Cambridge Cranesbill is a perfect choice for large sunny or partly shaded areas – “large” because it grows so vigorously that it often needs to be cut back in autumn to prevent it from overtaking neighboring plants.

Caucasian Cranesbill (Geranium renardii)

Caucasian Cranesbill is a doubly decorative ground cover: its gray-green foliage has a crinkled edge, and its white to pale violet flowers are veined with darker lines, making them real eye-catchers. Choose a sunny to part-shaded location for this plant, and space about eleven per linear meter. Soon, it will form a dense carpet about 20 to 30 centimeters tall.

Bloody Cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum)

Depending on the variety, Bloody Cranesbill reaches heights of 15 to 45 centimeters and spreads just as wide. For one square meter of ground, eight plants are usually sufficient. If you regularly deadhead its flowers, it can bloom from June all the way into October. This sun-loving Cranesbill should be planted in full sun or partial shade at most. It’s especially suitable for rock gardens, as it prefers calcareous, rocky-gravelly soil. In spring, it can be propagated by division, allowing you to quickly expand your stock.

Pyrenean Cranesbill (Geranium endressii)

Pyrenean Cranesbill graces the summer garden with its pink, delicately veined flowers. As a ground cover, it spreads rapidly through runners and quickly covers areas. With heights of 40 to 50 centimeters, it grows taller than the other varieties but no less densely. For quick results, plant eleven per square meter.

For me, planting Cranesbill was one of the simplest gardening decisions I’ve made. Once in the ground, it more or less takes care of itself – no constant trimming, no slug damage, and hardly any weeds to pull. The bees love it, and so do I. Whether you’re a beginner or have years of gardening experience, Cranesbill as a ground cover is a plant you can count on. I’ve already started propagating mine – it’s that good.