Award-winning Biokovo geranium hails from hardy line of perennials

Pale pink flowers are the only thing that is delicate about the Biokovo geranium.

Otherwise, the newly crowned Perennial Plant of the Year — formally known as Geranium x cantabrigiense ‘Biokovo’ — is one tough plant, withstanding shade, discouraging deer and enduring dry spells.

The Perennial Plant Association, a national trade association based in Hilliard, picks a winner every year based on low maintenance, resistance to pests and diseases, season-spanning interest and other factors.

In Ohio, Biokovo blooms in late May or early June, according to Steven Still, executive director of the association.

Unlike many other perennials, Biokovo boasts aromatic foliage.

“It’s not as obvious as thyme or mint,” Still said.

For some admirers, the fragrance evokes spices or citrus.

Less than a foot tall, Biokovo makes an appealing ground cover or front-of-the-border accent in sun or light shade.

After the flowers fade, the foliage turns red in fall.

Before adding Biokovo or any of the perennial geraniums to your landscape, “Getting the soil well-prepared is important,” Still said.

“If you’re going to spend any amount of money, spend it on preparing the soil, not an arsenal of pesticides.”

He suggests adding organic matter such as compost to the planting site.

Befitting its mountain origins, Biokovo grows best in well-drained conditions. It was discovered in the Biokovo Mountains of the Dalmatia region of present-day Croatia, according to the association’s website.

What about the geranium part of the name? Aren’t geraniums those sun-loving annuals with bright red flowers?

Those are pelargoniums.

True perennial geraniums such as Biokovo have a different common name — cranesbill, because their elongated seedpods are said to resemble the bill of a crane.

Even if that’s about as clear as the mud after a spring shower, the flowers of Biokovo and other perennial geraniums hold undeniable appeal.

Here are some of Biokovo’s perennial siblings.

• Dark Reiter: Unusually for a geranium, it has dark, deeply cut leaves that contrast with lavender-blue flowers.

• Perfect Storm: A dark eye makes the magenta flowers look even brighter on this low-growing selection.

• Rozanne: This variety, named Perennial Plant of the Year in 2008, offers blue-purple flowers for many months.

• Brookside: Sapphire blue flowers cover a plant that reaches about 2 feet tall. Foliage is more finely cut than that of many others.

• New Hampshire Purple: This choice stays low to the ground, like Biokovo, but boasts more brightly colored flowers.

Diana Lockwood is a freelance writer covering gardening topics.

cdecker@dispatch.com