Himalayan geranium or large-flowered

Family Geraniaceae. A plant of the subalpine meadows of the Himalayas.

Widely cultivated since the late 19th century. Like all geraniums, it is a rhizomatous plant with a rosette of downy leaves. Growth habit is bushy, it covers the ground with shoots. Height 30-60 cm. Leaves rounded, up to 10 cm in diameter, five-lobed, with unevenly dissected lobes. Flowers large, 4-5 cm in diameter, arranged two per stalk, of an unusual bluish-violet color with reddish veins. Three dark veins are noticeable on the calyx. Inflorescences are fragrant, large, shield-shaped. Himalayan geranium begins flowering at the end of May and blooms throughout the summer.

Particularly interesting is a more compact form, whose branched stems rise 20-30 cm above the ground. The low stature, a dense bush of attractive form, and prolonged flowering make this species suitable for use in borders and rockeries, especially in sunny locations with well-drained soils