Geranium sanguineum 'Max Frei'

The daintiest workhorse you’ll ever find, plant Geranium sanguineum ‘Max Frei’ in your toughest situations and watch it perform. Lacy leaves cover the ground in handsome clumps while profuse bright magenta flowers steal the show from late spring through summer followed by red autumn foliage.

This is the true Geranium, not to be confused with the annual Pelargonium one sees everywhere in summer. Perennial Geraniums are lovely plants that grow in full sun or partial shade (required in the South and the warmer areas of the West) and need soil with good drainage.

For information on growing and care, click Growing Guide.

We want our customers to receive strong, healthy plants that are ready to thrive in their gardens and homes. Here's what we'd like you to know about our shipping practices.

Delivery Timing

We aim to deliver your plants at as close to the proper time for planting in your area as possible. To do so, we consider the USDA Hardiness Zone to which we're shipping, current and forecasted weather at the destination and along the shipping route, and whether your plants are ready for transplant.

In spring, we ship first to the warmest regions and move north as planting conditions improve. For fall deliveries, we begin with the coolest regions and work south. We frequently adjust shipping schedules when extreme weather could put plants at risk while in transit or soon after arrival.

Because different plants reach readiness at different rates and are weather-sensitive in varying degree, a single order may be delivered via multiple shipments. Plants sold as part of a collection, or that are otherwise meant to arrive together, will be shipped together. Please contact our customer service team with two weeks' advance notice if you anticipate being away at the expected time of delivery. 

Tracking information for each package is delivered via email. 

Plant & Container Sizes

We deliver plants in various sizes and stages of growth, and the product detail pages of our website indicate the form and/or pot size in which the plant will be delivered. Pot sizes range from 1 pint to 1 gallon and larger. Many perennials, roses, shrubs and vines are delivered bareroot - that is, not in a container at all. Bulbs and tubers are generally delivered bareroot and fully dormant. We choose container sizes and delivery methods based on how each plant grows best, how we can minimize transplant shock, and how to minimize unnecessary bulk/weight in shipment. 

Caring for Your Plants Upon Arrival

It is important to acclimate greenhouse-grown plants to life outdoors. All plant shipments include simple instructions for handling your plants upon arrival. Further how-to information, including planting instructions, is available on each plant's product page.

Latin Name Pronunciation:  jer-ay'nee-um  

Geranium is a variable genus of hardy perennials that offers up profusely blooming plants for many situations. The lobed foliage can be as interesting as the flowers, which come in vibrant as well as more subdued shades of true blue, lavender, pinks and white. These plants bear little resemblance to the tender container plants known as Scented Geraniums, Zonal Geraniums, and Martha Washington Geraniums (these belong to the same family, but a different genus, Pelargonium).

Light/Watering: Light shade to full sun in the North and part shade in the South will allow these plants to reach peak performance. Most adapt well to short periods of dry conditions, and all respond to regular watering. Geranium sanguineum and its varieties tolerate drought, especially in cooler climates.

Fertilizer/Soil and pH: Geraniums thrive in average, well-drained soils that are slightly acid to neutral and will benefit from a light application of balanced, granular fertilizer in early spring. Short, dry periods are tolerated by most.

Pests/Diseases: No serious pests or diseases occur in this hardy group.

Companions: Good complements include Catmint (Nepeta), Lilies, Gas Plant (Dictamnus), Delphinium, and Shasta Daisies (Leucanthemum x superba).

Reflowering: With the exception of Bigroot Geranium (G. macrorrhizum) and Bloody Cranesbill (G. sanguineum) varieties, Geraniums have a tendency to sprawl after bloom. Cut plants back hard, to 2-3 inches above soil level, after the first wave of bloom. They will respond with a fresh crop of foliage that looks attractive through the season, and possible sporadic reblooming depending on variety.

Dividing/Transplanting: Cranesbill rarely needs dividing; it is possible with some plants to separate out divisions and replant in spring or early fall. Transplant with care in early spring.

End-of-Season Care: Cut back in autumn after several killing frosts, if desired.

Calendar of Care -- Geranium

Early Spring: Apply a light application of balanced or slow-release fertilizer or side-dress with compost and organic amendments when new growth appears. Supplement nitrogen during periods of prolonged rain to counter natural leaching. Water well if it is unseasonably dry as most prefer an evenly moist soil. Transplant now, if needed, and in some varieties, small pieces with roots may be removed from the edges of the plant for propagation.

Mid-Spring: Taller or sprawling varieties benefit by support with brushy twigs or interwoven, slender stakes.

Late Spring: Water if extended dry periods occur.

Summer: Groom plants by removing yellow or dead leaves. If plants are overtaking their allotted space, cut back to three inches; the new foliage will look lovely for the rest of the season.

Fall: Cut foliage back to soil level. After the ground is frozen, mulch to protect plants from heaving out of the soil in winter.

At White Flower Farm, we stand firmly behind every product we sell and are proud to offer a money-back guarantee on each and every item offered on our website and at our store in Connecticut. Some modest terms and conditions apply, click here for details.

Should you have any questions about how our guarantee applies to a particular product or circumstance, our customer service team will be happy to help – please contact us at (800) 411-6159 or [email protected].