Oregon Geranium

Geranium oreganum

Native to:
Canada, United States

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Geraniaceae
Genus:
Geranium
Species:
Geranium oreganum
USDA Symbol:
GEOR2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb
Height:
80 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
may,jun,jul
Bloom Colors:
pink, lavender

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:
★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
Butterflies & Moths:
★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★★★☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
bees, butterflies
Deer Resistant:
Yes

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rich, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
prefers organic matter-rich environments

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days
Germination Time:
14–60 days
Notes:
Germination can be erratic; cold stratification improves rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI

Pre-treatment: Seeds were sown into cone-tainers filled with Sunshine #1 (a soul-less peat based media) amended with micro-nutrients (Micromax) and a slow-release fertilizer (Osmocote 14-14-14). The flats of cone-tainers were covered with poly-ethylene bags and placed in a walk-in cooler for 90 days.

Source: npn.rngr.net