Geranium 'Rozanne'

Geranium ‘Rozanne’ is the Perennial Plant Association’s 2008 Perennial Plant of the Year. This Blooms of Bressingham introduction was discovered in the garden of nurseryman Donald Waterer and his wife Rozanne in England.

‘Rozanne’ produces 2 1/2-inch, violet-blue flowers from June until frost. It has a mounding habit with deep-green leaves marbled with chartreuse. Foliage turns red in fall. Plants reach 18-20 inches tall with a spread of 24-28 inches.

‘Rozanne’ is heat tolerant and does very well in the garden in front of beds or borders and makes a good groundcover. It has nice habit for patio planters, window boxes and hanging baskets. It does well in full sun to partial shade and is hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-8.

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Transplant one 72-cell rooted liner per 1-gallon or 8-inch pot filled with a well-draining, porous growing medium. The medium should have a pH of 5.5-6.5 and electrical conductivity of 1.5-3. The medium should be kept moist and plants should not be allowed to wilt excessively. While actively growing, fertilize plants with a constant liquid feed of 150 parts per million nitrogen.

Growing-on temperatures should be 65°F-68°F at night and 72°F during the day. No supplemental light, pinching or growth regulators are necessary. Vernalization is not required for flowering.

Common pests are shore flies and fungus gnats.

For more: Blooms of Bressingham, (502) 649-2936; jkunkel@bloomsofbressingham.com; www.geraniumrozanne.com (scheduled to be online in mid-August 2007); www.bloomsofbressingham.com. Perennial Plant Association, (614) 771-8431; www.perennialplant.org.

Specifics

Name: Geranium ‘Rozanne’

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Crop timing: Crop time for 1-gallon containers planted with one 72-cell rooted liner is nine weeks.

Grower benefits: Relatively easy to maintain and grow. Few insect problems.