Plants to Love: Rozanne Hardy Cranesbill (Geranium ‘Rozanne’)


Geranium ‘Rozanne’ (USDA Zones 4/5-9) is a lovely tumbling plant that gets between 4 and 5’ around, and about 2’ tall. She’s been the darling of the landscape designer crowd since being introduced a few years back, and even though we all plant her all the time, we’re sticking our fingers in our ears and going “LA-LA-LA” whenever a whisper of her being over-used comes up. She’s only over-used once we’re tired of her, and we are not.

She loves full sun and is somewhat deer-resistant, though not reliably so. ‘Rozanne’ even tolerates strong seacoast wind without looking shabby. If you put ‘Rozanne’ in a part shade spot, she’ll still grow and bloom nicely, but she may get a bit leggy and sprawl out more. She does go dormant, so I often plant her with evergreen plants so she doesn’t leave too big of a hole in the winter garden.

I like her with ornamental grasses like the Acorus ‘Ogon’/ Golden Sweet Flag grass above. She also harmonizes nicely with Roses, Rhododendrons, and Heathers.

Learn how to prune Geranium ‘Rozanne’ here (link to video). I gently lift one side of the plant up and trim out some of the longest stems that are flopping on the ground either back to a side shoot or all the way back, making sure my pruning cuts are hidden by the rest of the foliage, and work my way around the base of the plant to even it up. This helps to reduce size or get the plant out of a pathway if needed, because usually the longest stems are the ones sitting on the ground.

After you prune, the goal is to have the plant smaller, but not see any visible sign that you pruned it – no cut stems or bare patches.

Want to join in the Rozanne lovefest? Check out Susan Morrison’s post about her here.

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9 responses to “Plants to Love: Rozanne Hardy Cranesbill (Geranium ‘Rozanne’)”

  1. Gen,

    LA-LA-LA-LA! Count me in as a Rozanne fan. I like to use her paired with Hakonechloa ‘Aureola’, I love the way the purple flowers weave through the yellow-green blades of grass and show up unexpectedly. In my deer-infested garden, Rozanne is generally left alone, although I can’t say the same for G. ‘Max Frei’.

  2. Debbie, that’s great to hear that Rozanne’s deer resistant for you. And I love your combo idea with ‘Aureola’! That’s another favorite, too – they always seem to perform well if given a year or so to settle in.

  3. Oh my god, they ultimately get 4 – 5′ around? I haven’t had any move out over the 2′ mark. I’m hoping they’re just really, really happy where you garden or I’ve done some SERIOUS overplanting…

  4. Uh-huh, Susan. I’d blame my rainforest climate but I’ve actually read a few times in the last couple weeks how people were a bit surprised to see them get to 5′ round, so I’m not thinking I’m alone.

    But it’s cool, it’s not like they get diseased or anything, I think you can safely pretend it was intentional and call the plantings “en masse”. 🙂

  5. I agree with you about Rozanne!!! I just keep planting more and more. I have been selling them for the last few years and will have quite a few available late fall/spring/summer.

  6. Love the Rozanne!!! I have groupings of it in everyone of my gardens and so far it works perfectly in every setting. Not tired of it here….if I put in another bed it will find a home there too.

  7. I can add that “Rozanne” will survive to zone 3 here in my garden with no extra winter protection. It is slow to get going but once it does it puts on a lovely show.

  8. Geranium ‘Rozanne’….ahhh she is so tough but so sweet. Anything that grows under Coastal Live Oaks, is deer resistent, and blooms its head off is a do’er in my garden. Looks fabulous with…..ur….. everything.

    Good gardening,
    Cynthia