Fantasia® Dark Red Geranium

Fantasia® Dark Red is a compact, upright zonal geranium with dark red flowers and contrasting dark foliage. [Ball FloraPlant](https://www.ballfloraplant.com/Products/Details/?phid=028901762004491) lists the exact Fantasia® Dark Red selection as Pelargonium × hortorum (TOSTD0342), confirming that the catalog's reversed “Red Dark” wording should be corrected. ## Seasonal interest Use this tender annual for strong warm-season color in a bed, border, or container. [Illinois Extension](https://extension.illinois.edu/flowers/geranium) lists garden geraniums as tender annuals that commonly flower from May through October; Ball describes Fantasia as a dark-leaved line whose bright blooms provide contrast. ## Placement Grow in full sun in moist, fertile, well-drained soil. The breeder lists a compact-upright habit and a typical mature height and spread of 12–14 inches. Fantasia geraniums are suited to pots of 5 inches or larger and hanging baskets, where the rounded flower clusters can be viewed close by. ## Maintenance Allow excess water to drain and avoid overwatering during hot weather. Remove faded flower stems to maintain a tidy plant and encourage continued flowering. [Illinois Extension](https://extension.illinois.edu/flowers/geranium) also recommends deadheading to lessen botrytis. Plant outdoors after frost danger has passed and treat this selection as a seasonal annual where winters are cold.