Calliope Dark Red Geranium (Pelargonium 'Calliope Dark Red')
pel-ar-GO-nee-um 'Calliope Dark Red'

Annual (usually grown as an annual near you) Mounded in the Geraniaceae Family
Calliope™ Dark Red is a vigorous, mounding interspecific geranium with large, semi-double deep red blooms held above the foliage from spring through frost.

Calliope™ Dark Red is part of the Calliope series, the first cutting-grown interspecific hybrid Pelargonium and a 2017 All-America Selections winner, bred by Mitch Hanes (Goldsmith Seeds, now Syngenta Flowers). Like other interspecific geraniums, it combines genes from zonal and ivy-type Pelargonium species for a well-branched, mounding plant with extra heat and drought tolerance once established. Large, semi-double deep red flower clusters bloom continuously from spring through frost.

Pros

  • Continuous large, semi-double blooms from spring through frost
  • More heat- and drought-tolerant than old-fashioned seed geraniums once established
  • Well-branched, mounding habit suits containers and garden beds alike

Cons

  • Needs regular deadheading to keep blooming well
  • Not cold-hardy; must be treated as an annual or brought indoors before frost
This plant is probably not winter-hardy outdoors where you live.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 16 - 20 inches tall. 14 - 16 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Partial Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium
Zones 9b - 11b (Usually hardy to 25° F)
Tags Annual, Annual in Chicago, Attracts Bees, Attracts Beneficial Insects, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Filler, Full Sun, Good for Bedding, Good for Beginners, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Hanging Basket, Low Maintenance, Medium, Most Popular, Normal Soil, Partial Sun, Potentially Toxic, Rabbit Resistant, Repels Unwanted Insects, Showy Flowers, Tender Perennial, Well-Drained Soil
Bloom Period Spring - Frost (continuous)
Flower Color Dark Red
Foliage Color Green
 

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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 02/05 - 08/09
2024 : 02/08 - 08/24
2023 : 03/02 - 08/05

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


Estimated Recipe Cost

The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!