May 3, 2008 4 min read

Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and that holiday always reminds me to buy geraniums, perhaps because of long-ago memories of my grandmothers and the flower. What most of us commonly call geraniums are actually from the genus Pelargonium. The genus Geranium consists of perennial geraniums, also called cranesbill, plants I’ve written about previously.

For today’s discussion, when I mention geraniums, I’ll be talking about Perlargonium geraniums.

There are several hundred species of geranium, most of which are native to South Africa.

The many different cultivars of geranium we’re accustomed to are, for the most part, hybrids derived from about two dozen species.

Actually, we have a very limited selection of geranium types to choose from at garden centers, but the variety the hybridizers are able to achieve makes it seem like the possibilities are endless.

Common garden geraniums, also called zonal geraniums (Pelargonium x hortorum), are very widely used. These are perennial in tropical climates, but they are enjoyed as annuals here.

The leaves of zonal geraniums typically have distinct markings on the leaves – some multi-colored, some with bands of color, but others may have solid-color leaves. The leaves can also be plain or frilly.

The flowers can be single, semi-double or double-petaled, and range in color from red to pink to white, but also salmon, burgundy, purple, scarlet and orange.

Zonal geraniums typically grow one to two feet tall.

Ivy-leafed geraniums (Pelargonium peltatum) have a trailing growth habit, making them ideal for hanging baskets. They also are perennials in warmer climates. The leaves of this type of geranium are lobed, sometimes pointed, resembling English ivy. Flowers are single or double, in colors similar to zonal geraniums.

Regal, also called Martha Washington, geraniums (Pelargonium domesticum) are shrubbier than zonal geraniums. The foliage of regal geraniums is attractive and the leaf edges may be partially toothed. The flowers are most often single, but they grow in clusters, are large and quite eye-catching.

Flower colors can be combination shades of red, pink, white, purple, reddish black or orange.

The only downside to regal geraniums is that they are not as heat tolerant as the other geraniums typically available for gardeners. When the summer temperatures go up, flower bud formation usually goes down for regals.

There are a wide variety of scented-leaved geraniums, each with their own species names (so I won’t list their botanical names), but the scents available include rose, peppermint, nutmeg, lemon, apple and more. These kinds of geraniums are grown for their foliage, which releases the scent when they are brushed. The leaves can be solid or variegated, and the leaf shape can vary, too. The flowers are small, in shades of pink, purple, mauve and white. These geraniums are best along garden paths and in herb gardens.

Geraniums love the sun, so don’t plant them outside in the shade. They prefer well-drained soil and are pretty much insect free. They do well in the ground, in containers, in hanging baskets and window boxes, just wait until after the last frost date to plant them outdoors.

To encourage more blooms, pinch off the faded flowers. You might consider pinching some stems back, too, if your plants get too leggy and you want a more compact appearance.

You may not know it, but one of the largest producers of geranium cuttings in North America is just a few miles away in Connellsville. Oglevee Ltd. began as a nursery back in the 1870s.

By the mid-1900s the business shifted toward floriculture, and since then Oglevee has been on the cutting edge of technology and science in developing industry standards of disease-free, “clean” plant cuttings for commercial floriculture growers.

Many of the geraniums you buy at the local garden center may have gotten their start in Connellsville.

At the end of the growing season some gardeners winter over some of their geraniums indoors.

I don’t. I prefer getting a new batch of these old-fashioned favorites every year.

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Susan Brimo-Cox gardens, observes nature and writes in Ohiopyle.

Readers can send questions or comments to her at naturesgarden@brimo-cox.com.

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