Other Names:  Wlassov's Cranesbill

Description:

A great mounded variety perfect for garden borders and beds; bright violet-blue flowers stand out against mounds of gray-green leaves with burgundy highlights; foliage turns bright red in the cooler fall weather; deadhead to encourage more blooms

Ornamental Features

Lakwijk Star Siberian Cranesbill has masses of beautiful violet cup-shaped flowers with blue overtones, white eyes and plum purple veins at the ends of the stems from late spring to late summer, which are most effective when planted in groupings. Its tomentose lobed palmate leaves emerge burgundy in spring, turning grayish green in color with hints of burgundy. As an added bonus, the foliage turns a gorgeous brick red in the fall.

Landscape Attributes

Lakwijk Star Siberian Cranesbill is an herbaceous perennial with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Lakwijk Star Siberian Cranesbill is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Lakwijk Star Siberian Cranesbill will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity extending to 16 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 30 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 24 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Lakwijk Star Siberian Cranesbill is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.