Normandy, France
Hello. Do perennial geranium's inter breed? I have just found a new one that I didn't plant. It seems to be a mixture of the two other geranium's on either side.
- 16 Jun, 2013
Answers
Oh gosh, yes they do, they are very promiscuous. The offspring can be very different to the parents.
16 Jun, 2013
Thanks for your replies. Now I know that they cross pollinate, I might even try to do some experiments with other varieties.
16 Jun, 2013
Got a picture of the offspring?
16 Jun, 2013
Unfortunately no, unless I look in my garden rubbish bag! I was going to take a photo the next day, but when I went out to do it, the poor geranium was looking very sad. I delved through the leaves, only to find the stem with part of the root had been severed on ground level. With a bit of luck it will grow again from what's left in the ground, and I also planted the piece of root I salvaged. The offspring's parents are Johnson's Blue and pale pink Endressii, I think. The result was a very dark blue, Endressii type flower.
17 Jun, 2013
Sounds lovely - can't resist the blue ones. I've just found a small flowered white one with pink veining that looks like a cross from Himalayan White.
17 Jun, 2013
Your hybrid sounds interesting! I wonder if your one plant is truly 'Johnson's Blue' as this popular, old hybrid is a cross between pratense and himalayense and is supposed to be sterile. One of the reasons that 'Johnson's Blue' flowers for a long period is because it does not produce seed. But then again, perhaps the pollen is viable?
18 Jun, 2013
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Same here so I think they must do. I have a Johnson's Blue that appears to have seeded and made a lilac one, and some thuggish pink ones that I think might have bred with Herb Robert, the flowers are so much smaller than the parent.
16 Jun, 2013