What's eating my geranium maculatum 'elizabeth ann'?

Geranium maculatum 'Elizabeth Ann', with its distinctive bronze-purple foliage, is susceptible to the same pests as the species. Slugs are the primary threat to young growth, vine weevil can attack root crowns, and deer browse readily in rural gardens. The coloured foliage does not appear to deter any of these pests.

Irregular holes through new bronze foliage emerging in spring; silvery slime trails remain on and around damaged leaves. Hand-pick at dusk; use iron phosphate granules; lay a grit barrier around crown to discourage slug movement to the plant.

Larvae chew roots and crown causing wilting and plant loss; more problematic in containers than open ground. Use nematode soil drench (Steinernema kraussei) in late summer; check rootball when lifting or dividing and destroy any white grubs.

Stems and leaf petioles bitten through cleanly near ground level; entire clumps can be grazed back in a single night. Fence planting areas with wire mesh at least 1.2 m tall; use motion-activated sprinklers or deer-repellent sprays on foliage.