James H. Schutte
Family
Geraniaceae
Botanical Name
Pelargonium
Plant Common Name
Florist Geranium, Geranium
General Description
There are so many wonderful pelargoniums – thousands of hybrids and more than 200 distinct species. Most are heavily fragrant and offer showy flowers and foliage, so it is no wonder these tender perennials, or subshrubs, are some of the most widely cultivated and popular container and bedding plants.
Most Pelargonium species originate from arid or montane regions in southern Africa. Their fragrant, somewhat fleshy evergreen leaves are typically palm-shaped and deeply lobed or dissected. Many cultivars have variegated leaves with striking bands of two to three different colors, such as green, white, yellow, purple, red or orange. The flowers are five-petaled, often showy and borne in terminal clusters. Flower color is variable, depending on the species or cultivar, and includes red, white, pink, orange, purple or salmon shades.
Vigorous and easy to grow, pelargoniums prefer full to partial sun and average to fertile soil that drains well. Most hybrids are everblooming and require regular deadheading for best appearance and flower production. They can be planted in mixed beds and borders, containers or hanging baskets. Hardiness is species and cultivar dependent.
Pelargoniums fall into sixteen separate classes that are sometimes combined to describe cultivars. For example, the popular cultivar Pelargonium ‘Pixie Rose’ is a Stellar Zonal Geranium (St, Z) and Pelargonium ‘Timothy Clifford’ is a Miniature Zonal Geranium (Min, Z). The sixteen Pelargonium classes are:
Code Class
(A) Angel
(C) Coloured foliage
(Ca) Cactus
(D) Double
(Dec) Decorative
(Dw) Dwarf
(Dwl) Dwarf Ivy-leaved
(Fr) Frutetorum
(I) Ivy-leaved
(Min) Miniature
(MinI) Miniature Ivy-leaved
(R) Regal
(Sc) Scented-leaved
(St) Stellar
(T) Tulip
(U) Unique
(Z) Zonal
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
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USDA Hardiness Zone
12 - 15
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Sunset Zone
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Tender Perennial
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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Bloom Time
Indeterminate
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Native To
Hybrid Origin, Mediterranean, Turkey, Canary Islands, Africa, Southern Africa, Madagascar, South Africa, Iraq, Iran, Western Asia
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Neutral
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Soil Drainage
Well Drained
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Soil type
Loam, Sand
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Growth Rate
Fast
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Water Requirements
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
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Habit
Clump-Forming
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
White, Red, Purple, Orange, Pink, Rose, Salmon, Orange Red
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Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
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Foliage Color (Spring)
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Purple, Dark Green, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
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Foliage Color (Spring) Modifier
Variegated
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Foliage Color (Summer)
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Purple, Dark Green, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
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Foliage Color (Summer) Modifier
Variegated
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Foliage Color (Fall)
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Purple, Dark Green, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
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Foliage Color (Fall) Modifier
Variegated
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Foliage Color (Winter)
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Purple, Dark Green, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
Yes
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
Yes
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Flower Petal Number
Single, Double, Semi-Double
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Repeat Bloomer
Yes
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Medium
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
Yes
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Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
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Usage
Alpine, Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Foundation, Hanging Basket, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
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Sharp or Has Thorns
No
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Invasive
No
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Attracts
Butterflies
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Self-Sowing
Yes
