The geraniums They are herbaceous plants that have become very popular thanks to their beautiful flowers and their easy cultivation and reproduction. Mostly native to South Africa, they are very rustic and can withstand light frosts. They are used especially as potted plants (or planters), but they can also form colored beds in some corner of the garden.
They adapt to all types of soils, and the only thing they will ask you is that you put them in a sunny exhibition and water them about 3 times a week in summer and the rest of the year one or two weekly. But, in addition, there are several types of geraniums, each one more beautiful. Would you like to know what they are and the differences between them?
Knowing the geraniums
We use the word geranium to speak of plants of two genera that, although they have a lot in common, belong to two totally different genera. One of them is Geranium, which are geraniums, let's say pure, and the other is Pelargonium. Let's know a little about the characteristics of each one so that it is easy for us to differentiate them:
- Geranium: they are annual, biennial or perennial plants originating above all from the eastern part of the Mediterranean region. The leaves are simple, often palmatidivided, with a rounded shape and a dentate margin. The flowers are grouped in umbels and are red, pink, white or yellow.
- Pelargonium: they are herbaceous or shrubby perennial plants especially native to Africa. The leaves are rounded, somewhat divided, and green in color. Its flowers are small, with thin petals, and are grouped in umbels. They can be of different colors: pink, purple, white, and so on.
So, let's see which are the most representative species of each genus.
Types of geraniums of the genus Geranium
The Geranium they are annual or perennial plants that produce very showy flowers, with great ornamental value. In addition, they do not require much care, since they generally resist cold better than Pelargonium. However, you should know that some species are protected.
These are the most popular species:
Geranium dissectum
Image - Wikimedia / Fornax
El Geranium dissectum is an annual herb surely native to the Canary Islands that reaches 20-30 centimeters in height. It has deeply divided leaves, and produces pink flowers.
Geranium lucidum
Image - Wikimedia / Cwmhiraeth
El Geranium lucidum is a plant native to Europe with stems up to 30 centimeters tall. The leaves are bright green, and are somewhat divided. In spring it produces pink flowers.
Geranium macrorrhizum / Geranium molle (Geranium of the roads)
Image - Wikimedia / Svdmolen
The road geranium, whose scientific name is geranium molle (before Geranium macrorrhizum), is a European annual plant that reaches 40 centimeters in height. Its flowers bloom in spring and summer, and they are pink.
Geranium pyrenaicum
Image - Wikimedia / xulescu_g
El Geranium pyrenaicum is a perennial plant native to southern and western Europe that grows between 30 and 70 centimeters tall. From spring to fall it produces flowers of a magnificent lilac color.
Geranium purpureum (Rook leg)
El Geranium purpureum is a annual plant up to 70 centimeters tall known as rook leg. It is native to the Canary Islands, and blooms producing small pink flowers.
Geranium Robertianum
Image - Wikimedia / Joli
El Geranium Robertianum is an annual herb native to Europe, Asia and North Africa that reaches 10 to 45 centimeters in height. Its leaves are triangular, very divided, and the flowers are pink.
Geranium rotundifolium (Sausanne)
Image - Wikimedia / Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz
The sausanne, whose scientific name is Geranium rotundifolium, is a plant native to Europe that grows up to 30 centimeters tall. Its flowers bloom in spring and summer, and are soft lilac in color.
Geranium sanguineum
El Geranium sanguineum is a perennial plant native to Europe that grows up to 40 centimeters tall. Its flowers are purple-reddish and appear from late spring to late summer.
Geranium sylvaticum
Image - Wikimedia / xulescu_g
El Geranium sylvaticum is an herb native to Europe, especially Scandinavia, which reaches a height of 30 to 60 centimeters tall. The are lobed, and the flowers are purple.
Types of geraniums of the genus Pelargonium
Pelargoniums are especially interesting plants for gardens, terraces, balconies ... Being perennial, when we buy or give us one we can be sure that we will enjoy it for several years.
Its most popular species are:
pelargonium capitatum (Pink geranium)
Image - Wikimedia / Emőke Dénes
El pelargonium capitatum, known as pink geranium, is a perennial shrubby plant native to South Africa. It reaches a height of 100 centimeters, so that it is perfect to have as a low hedge in the garden or in a large pot decorating the terrace.
Pelargonium crispum (Lemon geranium)
Image - Wikimedia / David J. Stang
Known as lemon geranium or lemon-scented geranium, the Pelargonium crispum it is a shrubby plant from South Africa. It grows between 0,80 and 1,5 meters, and is one of the best smells (lemon, of course). The downside is that it does not resist frost, so it will need protection in winter if the temperature drops below 0 degrees.
Pelargonium grandiflorum (Pansy geranium)
Known as pansy geranium, the Pelargonium grandiflorum is a shrubby plant native to South Africa that reaches a maximum height of 1,5 meters. Its flowers are very beautiful, so much so that it is recommended that it be planted in an area that is visible, such as in a planter at the entrance of the house.
Pelargonium graveolens (Anti-mosquito geranium)
Image - Wikimedia / Eric Hunt
The anti-mosquito geranium, whose scientific name is Pelargonium graveolens, is a shrubby plant native to South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. It grows to a height of 1-1,5 meters, and it is very interesting to repel annoying mosquitoes.
Pelargonium citrosum (Citronella geranium)
Image - Wikimedia / Mokkie
Pelargonium 'citrosum' is a cultivar of Pelargonium graveolens which is known as citronella geranium. It is very similar, but unlike this produces smaller flowers.
pelargonium garden (Malvon)
Image - Wikimedia / Alejandro Bayer Tamayo from Armenia, Colombia
El Pelargonium x hortorum is a cross between Pelargonium inquinans y pelargonium zonale. It is known as mallow, common geranium, garden geranium or cardinal, and grows between 30 and 60 centimeters in height. It produces a large number of flowers during a good part of the year, so do not hesitate to have it as a centerpiece and / or in a planter 😉.
pelargonium peltatum (Gypsy girl)
Image - Wikimedia / Stojanoski Slave - Silfiriel
The geraniums popularly known as "gypsies", whose scientific name is pelargonium peltatum, they are ideal to put on an outdoor staircase, or on a balcony, since have a tendency to be dangling. It is a perennial plant that will appreciate being in a very bright place and, although it is somewhat drought resistant, it prefers to have frequent waterings to bloom throughout the spring and summer.
pelargonium zonale (Zonal geranium)
Image - Wikimedia / Jerzy Opioła
The zonal geranium, whose scientific name is pelargonium zonale, is the best known. They are also sometimes called Pelargonium x hortorum. It could be said that it is the »geranium of all life». It is a perennial plant, which can reach a maximum height of two meters, although the most common is that it does not exceed 50cm. Very useful as a pot plant or to create attractive color spots in the garden.
Its flowers can be red, pink, orange or white. Although the leaves, usually green, can be up to 3 colors. But the latter are cultivars that have appeared recently.
What are the basic care of geraniums?
If you want to have a geranium, we recommend that you put it in a bright area (preferably outside, in the sun), and that you water it 3-4 times a week during the summer and 1-2 a week the rest of the year. In addition, it is very important that during the warm season you treat it with 10% cypermethrin to prevent the geranium fly.
You can pay it from the end of winter until autumn approaches, preferably with natural fertilizers such as guano, but if you opt for chemical ones, universal liquid fertilizers or those of flowering plants give very good results.
Whether you want to have it in the garden or in a pot you must bear in mind that the soil or substrate must have good drainage, since it does not resist waterlogging. That is why we recommend that you put a layer of about three centimeters of clay, regardless of where you are going to have it, and that you mix the earth with 20-30% perlite or pumice.
Finally, if you live in an area where frosts are registered, the ideal is that you keep it indoors until spring returns.
What do you think of geraniums?
I have an enviable terrace with uniform salmon pink geraniums about ten meters long
Great 🙂
My wish is to learn to take care of my plants, both geaniot and roses. My question, can they be put as fertilizer chicken manure, sheep, bobbin, or any of the already mentioned.
Hello Francisca.
Yes of course. The only thing is that if they are potted, you should add very little, a handful or even less, and repeat the following month.
A greeting!