Out of Africa - Garden Plants – Geranium/Pelargonium

Name – Some confusion exists between geraniums and pelargoniums which are also frequently referred to as geraniums. The mix-up can be traced back to the eighteenth century and though both are members of the same plant family, they are very different. The first species of Pelargonium known to be cultivated was Pelargonium triste, a native of South Africa. One can make the distinction between the two by looking at the flowers - Geranium has symmetrical flowers, while Pelargonium has irregular ones.

Description - The pelargoniums or 'Annual Geraniums' are unlike the hardy ‘Cranesbill’ which is a native European plant. To begin with, they are only half-hardy and very frost tender. Unlike the half-hardy Pelargoniums, Cranesbill flowers come in shades that encompass blues and purples up towards pinks but do not produce any of the shocking red shades which are the keynote of the Pelargoniums. They vary in growth from about 6 inches to 4 feet tall, depending on variety.

Origins – Pelargoniums grow well in well-drained soil in sun or light shade, depending on the species and where in Africa they originate. Some less vigorous species are useful in rock gardens and all require well-drained, fertile, soil, while most are relatively drought tolerant. However they should not be allowed to dry out; in very dry summers make sure that the plants are frequently watered. If your garden offers consistently hot and sunny conditions, most of species will benefit from dappled shade in the hottest part of the day. Cutting back old flowering stems keeps the plant tidy and often encourages a further flush of flowers. While seed can be gathered easily, germination of Geranium seeds can be erratic, it can take long time (up to two years) for seedlings to appear.

Africa Geranium photograph by Xerones, used under a creative commons attribution licence

 

© blueworldgardener.co.uk