Geranium pratense 'Mrs Kendall Clark' (Mrs Kendall Clark meadow cranesbill) care

Light

Geranium pratense 'Mrs Kendall Clark' needs sun on the leaves, not just bright ambient room light. Full sun gives the strongest flowering and best petal colour, but it also performs well in light afternoon shade, which keeps the delicate blue from bleaching in heat. A south or west-facing windowsill in the northern hemisphere is the default; anywhere else, expect the plant to stretch and pale out within a season.

Watering

Water geranium pratense 'mrs kendall clark' about weekly while establishing and in dry spells; little once settled.. The actual day count varies with pot size, light, and season — the finger test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) is more reliable than a fixed calendar. Empty any drainage saucer afterwards so the pot isn't sitting in water. Maintain even moisture in the first season. Established clumps tolerate short droughts but flower longer with deep watering during prolonged dry weather.

Soil and pot

Geranium pratense 'Mrs Kendall Clark' grows best in fertile, moist but well-drained loam, neutral to slightly alkaline.. Happy on clay, loam or chalk; resents winter waterlogging. Work in compost on thin soils to sustain its lush growth. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Geranium pratense 'Mrs Kendall Clark' sits happiest at around Ambient outdoor humidity and -29 to 30°C (-20 to 86°F). A hardy border perennial needing no humidity management; it grows in normal open-garden conditions. If you keep the room above year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed geranium pratense 'mrs kendall clark' sparingly. Low feeder. A spring mulch of compost or one balanced feed at growth start suffices; skip high-nitrogen feeds, which promote weak, floppy stems over flowers. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on geranium pratense 'mrs kendall clark' in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Lax stems post-bloom — Stems sprawl after the first flush. Cut the plant back hard to refresh foliage and trigger a second wave of bloom.
• Petal bleaching in heat — The soft blue can fade in strong sun and high heat. A position with light afternoon shade preserves colour.
• Powdery mildew — White leaf bloom in dry, still air. Improve spacing and airflow and remove affected leaves.
• Sawfly and vine weevil larvae — Chewed or notched leaves indicate larvae. Pick off or use biocontrols, then cut back for clean regrowth.

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring or autumn to keep the named clone true. It will not come true from seed, so vegetative division is essential for preserving the cultivar's colour. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Geranium pratense 'Mrs Kendall Clark' is mildly toxic to pets. True Geranium (hardy cranesbill) differs from the ASPCA's toxic 'Geranium' entry, which covers Pelargonium (geraniol, linalool). This G. pratense cultivar is not individually listed by the ASPCA; hardy cranesbills are generally regarded as non-toxic, but treat with caution and verify with a vet rather than assuming pet-safe. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Geranium pratense 'Mrs Kendall Clark' deep-dive guides

Every aspect of geranium pratense 'mrs kendall clark' care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Geranium pratense 'Mrs Kendall Clark' watering schedule
• Geranium pratense 'Mrs Kendall Clark' light requirements
• Best soil mix for geranium pratense 'mrs kendall clark'
• Geranium pratense 'Mrs Kendall Clark' fertilizing guide
• When to repot geranium pratense 'mrs kendall clark'
• How to propagate geranium pratense 'mrs kendall clark'
• Geranium pratense 'Mrs Kendall Clark' growth rate & size
• Geranium pratense 'Mrs Kendall Clark' cold hardiness
• Geranium pratense 'Mrs Kendall Clark' temperature & humidity
• Is geranium pratense 'mrs kendall clark' toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is geranium pratense 'mrs kendall clark' toxic to cats?
• Is geranium pratense 'mrs kendall clark' toxic to dogs?
• Getting geranium pratense 'mrs kendall clark' to bloom

Featured in these plant shortlists

Geranium pratense 'Mrs Kendall Clark' qualifies for 4 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best drought-tolerant houseplants — Houseplants that prefer to dry out — forgiving of forgotten watering and ideal for travel or busy weeks.
• Best flowering houseplants — Indoor plants grown for their blooms — selected from the flowering species in Growli’s plant-care library.
• Best houseplants for full sun — Houseplants that want direct sun — the species for a hot south or west-facing windowsill where shade-lovers scorch.
• Best houseplants for a cool room — Houseplants that tolerate cool conditions down to about 10°C — for an unheated spare room, hallway, porch or a home kept cool.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

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Geranium pratense 'Mrs Kendall Clark' is also commonly called Mrs Kendall Clark meadow cranesbill.

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