The carpet geranium has many common names in South Africa, including: Crane’s Bills, Bergtee, Horlosies, Vrouetee, Ngope-sethsoha, Tlako, and Malko. It remains a popular garden plant not only for its very long flowering period, but also because it is long-lived, undemanding, and very versatile in the garden.
In the wild, it can be found scrambling through the natural vegetation, along the eastern and south-western coastlines of South Africa, from Malmesbury to KwaZulu-Natal, and extending into tropical Africa. It occurs all the way along the coastline, transitioning from the winter rainfall regions, through those regions that have year-round rainfall, and into KwaZulu-Natal where it is just as happy with the summer rainfall. The carpet geranium grows abundantly and is often found growing together with fynbos on the slopes of hills, as well as on coastal dunes, and in damp coastal flats and seeps.
It forms a dense, mounded carpet about 35cm tall with a spread of around 50cm, and its finely divided, aromatic, light green leaves have a lovely silvery-grey flush to them, lending a soft texture to the garden, and during the cooler months the leaves may display slight coppery-bronze hues. The masses of delicate, pale mauve to lavender, pink or white flowers can appear at any time of the year, peaking during spring and summer.
Geranium incanum belongs to the large Geraniaceae family, with about 700 species falling into 11 genera, which includes Geranium and Pelargonium. The word “Geranium” comes from the Greek word “geranos” and is in reference to the likeness the seed pods have to the beak of a crane – hence the common name “Crane’s Bill”; and the specific name “incanum” makes reference to the silvery sheen on the leaves.
Geranium incanum. Image by Hans from PixabayHealth Benefits:
The leaves of the carpet geranium are used by herbalists worldwide to make a non-addictive tea, free from caffeine or tannin.
The tea is taken to expel worms and is safe to use on children and pets. It is used to treat colic, mild diarrhoea, bladder infections, venereal diseases, and low blood pressure. Because it is used for many menstruation-related ailments, and backache, the Afrikaans common name “vrouetee” or 'woman's tea' is spot on!
To expel intestinal worms, make a strong tea using fresh or dried leaves and steep it for a while in boiling water. Take one cup twice a day for two weeks. To treat pets, add the brew to their food or drinking water.
Always consult with your doctor or veterinarian before starting a home treatment programme.
In the Garden:
The carpet geranium is very versatile and it makes an excellent groundcover or colourful border plant for full sun. It is effective at stabilising the soil on banks, and lovely when allowed to trail over retaining walls, hanging baskets or pots. Its softly textured leaves can be used to soften pathways, steps and large expanses of gravel, and if planted next to a body of water the plant will grow towards the water and even float on it.
Because this sun loving, low-maintenance plant is also hardy, and tolerates windy and exposed sites, it is often used for commercial plantings in parking strips around shopping malls and office parks. It is a perfect groundcover between fynbos, and is just as pretty in bushveld gardens combined with grasses and aloes.
This geranium is even used for roof gardens and green walls - you will have to look hard to find a more versatile plant.
The carpet geranium is a must-have for a wildlife garden as it attracts birds and valuable insect pollinators to the garden. It’s also a larval host plant for many butterflies, including: Eyed Pansy, Striped Policeman, Dickson’s Geranium Bronze, Common Geranium Bronze, and Water Bronze.
Click here to see Google images of the Eyed Pansy Butterfly
Click here to see Google images of the Striped Policeman Butterfly
Click here to see Google images of Dickson's Geranium Bronze
Click here to see Google images of the Common Geranium Bronze
Click here to see Google images of the Water Geranium Bronze
In the Kitchen:
The flowers of the carpet geranium are edible and look very pretty adorning a salad, or crystalized to decorate cakes and desserts.
Geranium incanum. Image by John Leach from PixabayCultivation/Propagation:
The carpet geranium is extremely easy to grow, and this tough coastal plant also grows very well inland, tolerating all but severe frost, and a minimum temperature of -1°C. It thrives in full sun where it forms a tight carpet and flowers profusely, but it will take some shade.
It is most important that the plants are correctly spaced in the garden so that each one has plenty of air movement around the leaves, in order to prevent the stems from rotting.
Although it tolerates poor soils like sand and chalk as well as more loamy soils, ranging from neutral to slightly acid or alkaline, the carpet geranium will look at is best in the garden if it is given a little TLC, so enrich very poor soils with compost or other organic material, and on heavy soils the addition of organic materials will aid in drainage. Basically it adapts to most moderately fertile, well-drained garden soils.
The carpet geranium is drought hardy, but to look at its best it needs moderate but regular watering during long dry spells. Mulch the soil and feed in spring to keep the plant vigorous.
It will seed itself around the garden, so if you don’t want volunteer seedlings popping up, trim the plants lightly after every flush of flowers. Occasional trimming will also keep the plant dense and neat.
Propagation is by cuttings, division of the roots in autumn, or from seed sown in spring or autumn.
Because the plant self-seeds freely, older plants can simply be removed to allow the younger seedlings to fill in the gaps.
Selected forms, such as those with darker coloured flowers, are best grown from cuttings.
Seed germinates easily and can be sown in trays using a seedling growing medium, and lightly covered. Mist the medium regularly to keep it moist until germination occurs. Seedlings can be transplanted into separate containers once they are large enough to handle.
Problems, Pests & Diseases:
The carpet geranium is generally trouble-free, but may be susceptible to vine weevil, and sawflies.
Click here to see Google images of the vine weevil
Click here to see Google images of sawflies
It may be affected by downy and powdery mildews. Click here to see Google images of mildews.
Warning:
Plants of the genus Geranium incanum should not be confused with their close cousins of the genus Pelargonium which are often referred to as "geraniums" by gardeners. Plants that belong to the genus Geranium, like the carpet geranium (Geranium incanum) are not toxic to animals, but the Pelargonium species are mildly poisonous.
While the carpet geranium contains several chemically active compounds, none of them are present in concentrations high enough to cause poisoning in humans and pets.