Strawberry geranium plants (Saxifraga stolonifera) make for excellent groundcover. They never reach more than a foot (31 cm.) in height, they thrive in shaded areas with indirect light, and they spread reliably through stolons: attractive, red tendrils that reach out and root to form new plants. Keep reading to learn more about strawberry geranium care and growing strawberry geranium plants.
Strawberry Geranium Information
Also called strawberry begonia, creeping saxifrage, and creeping rockfoil, strawberry geranium plants are native to Korea, Japan, and eastern China. Despite the name, they are not actually geraniums or begonias. Instead, they’re low-to-the-ground evergreen perennials that spread through runners as strawberry plants do.
The leaves, which look like those of begonia or geranium (hence the common names), are wide, round, and veined with silver against a dark green background. In early spring they produce small, white flowers with two large petals and three small ones.
Strawberry Geranium Care
Growing strawberry geranium plants is rarely started with seed. If you plant a few small plants in an area of dappled shade, they should slowly take it over and form a nice groundcover. Is strawberry geranium invasive? Like all plants that spread through runners, there’s a slight worry about them getting out of hand.
The spread is relatively slow, though, and can always be slowed more by digging up plants. As long as you keep an eye on it, you shouldn’t run the risk of it becoming invasive. Alternatively, strawberry geranium plants are often grown as houseplants or in containers where there’s no chance of them spreading.
Strawberry geranium care is relatively easy. The plants like rich soil and moderate watering. They are hardy from USDA zones 6 through 9, though in cold winter areas it’s a good idea to mulch them heavily in the fall to get them through the cold months.
