Geranium soboliferum ‘Butterfly Kisses’ 2.25 stars
Flower Description and Bloom Time
A late blooming cranesbill with bright pink flowers and magenta veining. The foliage is mound-forming, with deeply cut light green leaves that turn red to orange in the fall. Some of the plants in the evaluation bloomed in late spring/early summer.
Foliage Interest — Color and Texture
One evaluator liked the contrasting texture the foliage added to the garden. In one autumn, the foliage was red but the following year it remained semi-evergreen.
Habit and Growth Rate Observations
Plants ranged in size from 16 to 18 inches wide to 18 to 24 inches tall. Produced a rounded, mounded habit in most of the evaluators gardens. At one site, plants had an open, loose habit with a sparse, sprawling form.
Site Preference — Soil and Light
Butterfly Kisses geranium prefers full sun to part shade. The evaluation sites ranged from full sun with average/dry soil, part shade, and under a high-branched oak tree with filtered morning sunlight. Plants received minimal to no extra watering.
Successes and Possible Drawbacks
Evaluators noted that plants had “fabulous glossy edging plants with pink blossoms sporadically all summer.” Some seedlings appeared in one evaluation site. A hot dry summer during the first year of the evaluation may have diminished the amount of flowers. Supplemental watering may have helped.
Notes from Growers/Retailers
N/A
Good Combinations
One evaluator noted that this is a wonderful border plant with peonies. Another suggested using it in a cottage garden situation with other perennials (irises, veronicastrum, hellebores, calamint) to help prevent it from sprawling.
Parting “SHOT” — The overall evaluation results were Fair.
This plant was evaluated from 2013 to 2016 at five sites in Chicago’s western and northwestern suburbs as well as near the Illinois-Wisconsin border. Of the 15 original plants, 11 survived through the third year of the trial.
