Pelargonium: what it is, a description and classification of plant species, a photo of a flower of various varieties, growing characteristics and wintering conditions on a balcony, flowerbed and home

Many of us remember these fragrant flowers with white and bright red inflorescences on the windowsills of parents and grandmothers. They were always called geraniums, and nothing else. In fact, the correct name for these plants is pelargonium.

And their main difference from street friends is that they do not like cold weather. In this article we will talk in detail about this flower, about its origin, species, useful properties, rules of cultivation and care. Also watch a helpful video on the topic.

Description

Pelargonium (translated from Greek Pelargos means "stork") come from a family of geraniums. A common symptom of geraniums is a very unusual form of the fetus. Ripening, the seed box opens from the bottom up along the entire length and becomes similar to the head of a stork or crane with an open beak.

Pelargonium flowers are often irregular in shape: the two upper petals of the total five stand apart, are fused together. Petals are rounded simple, terry or semi-double. As a rule, all pelargonium flowers are collected in small or multi-flowered umbrella inflorescences. Bright and lush inflorescences are painted in all kinds of warm shades from creamy white to fiery scarlet.

Pelargonium leaves are simple, palmate or palmate-dissected. The color of the leaves also varies: monophonic (from light green to dark olive), colorful (with contrasting spots) and zonal (from the center to the perimeter, "belts" of a different shade follow the outline of the sheet).

Some types of pelargonium do not differ in bright and lush colors, nevertheless they are among the favorites because of their pleasant and healing aroma. According to the structure of the stem, pelargoniums are divided into:

Ampelic with flexible stalk creeping on the ground and thin long shoots. Such species always look advantageous in hanging flowerpots that can be hung on a balcony or summer terrace.
Shrub with an erect stem. With timely pruning, you can get the most beautiful and lush, often-branched bush of pelargonium, beautifully and abundantly strewn with bright colors.TIP: Not only window sills and balconies can be decorated with bushy, curly pelargoniums. They can be planted in sunny places of garden flower gardens, of course, only in the summer period, since they will not tolerate wintering in the ground.
Succulent species of pelargonium stand as a separate group.. In the stems, this species can store water, so they are thickened, fleshy and, when pruned, form nodular thickenings. Succulent species of pelargonium are now in fashion among bonsai lovers, patiently forming miniature angularly curving trees.

Photo

Below, you can see a photo of a beautiful indoor flower of pelargonium, of different colors and species, such as, for example, succulent or geranium, as well as pictures of flowers on the flowerbed and home balcony:

Succulent

Geranium

Winding pelargonium

This is how it looks in the flowerbed

And so on the home balcony

Origin

The vast majority of pelargonium species (96%) come from South Africa, more precisely from its Cape Province. The first species of pelargonium fell into the Royal Gardens of Great Britain at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries. The remaining 4% of the natural species of pelargonium come from Australia, Tasmania, Madagascar. The northernmost species are brought from Turkey, Iran and Iraq. Pelargonium has 280 natural species and about 1000 hybrids at the moment.

Do not confuse the name with geraniums

Most often, amateur gardeners call pelargonium geraniums. But real geranium, although it is also a representative of the geranium semester, is similar to pelargonium only in the form of a seed box. Such a confusion with the name pelargonium has arisen since 1738 when compiling a general register of plants. The fact that these plants cannot be crossed with each other, they do not give common fruits, also indicates the difference in the genera of pelargonium and geranium.

Smell

ATTENTION: Pelargonium is not only an ornamental, but also an essential oil plant with pleasant aromas, the variety of which is simply amazing: mint, apple, lemon, ginger, cinnamon, coniferous and many, many others. Essential oils are contained in special glands on the outside of the leaf, sometimes on the reverse side and the stem of pelargonium.

The content of essential oils in a plant directly depends on favorable conditions, the abundance of heat and sun, the characteristics of the variety of pelargonium and the plant itself. Over time, the plant begins to produce a more bitter aroma, degenerating and mutating. A timely update of the variety is required.

Kinds

There is no unified classification of pelargonium species into groups, but the most often distinguished are zonal, ivy (ampelous), royal (large-flowered), fragrant, unique and pelargonium angels. The colors of the flowers are mainly in warm colors: cream, beige, yellow, orange, and scarlet.

Different classifications of breeding species of pelargonium:

Classification	Subdivision
By the type of stem	Ampelic. Bush. Succulent.
According to the color and shape of the leaves	Solid colors. Variegated. Zonal. The buccal.
By the number of petals in a flower	Simple (5 petals in 1 row). Half-terry (6-8 petals in 2 rows). Terry (more than 8 petals).
By flower structure	Arboreal (similar to rosebuds). Tulip-shaped (tightly twisted petals. Carnations (carved petals). Star (angular). Cactus-like (long crowded petals). Deacons (miniature).

Beneficial features

Pelargonium essential oils, often called geranium oil, treat inflammation of the inner ear and upper respiratory tract, and prevent ARVI, ARI, and flu. Pelargonium eau de toilette effectively treats acne. Pelargonium has a calming effect, therefore, at home it contributes to sound sleep. It effectively heals small wounds and cuts, removing inflammation and tightening them. It was often used as a plantain.

Essential oils are used:

In perfumes to replace expensive rose oil and get your own aromas.
In aromatherapy and spa centers.
Add to cosmetics.
Flavors of tobacco products.
In the food industry for flavoring confectionery and drinks.
As spices.
In medicine, the bactericidal and antiseptic properties of geranium oil are used.
Antispasmodic and sedative properties are expressed.
Used in the treatment of diabetes and certain infectious diseases.

IMPORTANT: Geranium oil improves the tone of cerebral vessels and increases performance, increases concentration. It also effectively stimulates the function of the liver and pancreas.

In detail about the medicinal properties of pelargonium, as well as what contraindications there are to its use, we described in our material.

Watch the video about the beneficial properties of pelargonium oil (geranium):

Breeding

With age, the stalk of pelargonium becomes woody and the plant needs to be renewed and transplanted (about how to transplant and root a plant at home, read our article). Although pelargonium is capable of propagating by seeds, it is most often planted with a vegetative method, cuttings.

To do this, starting in February, shoots are grown on the uterine plant, stimulating the growth of future cuttings with additional lighting and top dressing (which fertilizers are best used for abundant flowering of pelargonium can be found here). In late March and early April, pelargonium can already be cut (for how to propagate pelargonium by cuttings, read here).

Regarding the selection of pelargonium, to obtain hybrid varieties and when breeding rare species, seeds of pelargonium are germinated. This process is more time-consuming and with a lower percentage of efficiency, but pelargonium grown from seeds bloom more abundantly and more luxuriantly than cuttings.

You can find out in detail what methods of reproduction of pelargonium are and how to organize this at home, here.

Care

According to reviews, pelargonium is a very photophilous plant and with a lack of lighting, it ceases to produce essential oils, grows poorly, flowers bloom small, the total number of inflorescences falls (you can find out why pelargonium does not bloom at home, here). It is necessary to provide sufficient lighting, exposing the plant to the south and southwest windows.

Daylight hours are at least 16 hours; if necessary, it is extended by phyto-lamps and fluorescent lamps. He loves fertile, but light soil with good drainage, because when stagnant water in the soil is immediately affected by root rot. When preparing the soil mixture for pelargonium, it is advisable to add sand and peat (about which soil is best suited for pelargonium, as well as the rules for planting and caring for the plant, read here).

Prefers neutral and alkaline soils, neutralize acidic with lime. The most favorable temperature is 25-27 ° C. Once a month, pelargonium is fed with mineral fertilizers with a nitrogen content. This is a flower of indoor content, there are no nurseries for this plant.

Read more about how to properly care for pelargonium at home, read here, and from this article you will learn how to form a beautiful crown for pelargonium.

Features of growing in the house, on the balcony, in the flowerbed

This southerner is perfectly adapted to the hot and sunny climate of Africa, it is obvious that such a plant prefers subtropical conditions with plenty of heat and light. When growing indoors, provide her with the sunniest windows for lighting, facing south and southwest.

If daylight hours are shorter than 16 hours, extend it with fluorescent lights. Pelargonium content on an open balcony is only possible in summer, the plant does not tolerate cold and drafts. If the balcony is insulated and the temperature in it does not drop below 20 ° C, it is possible to grow pelargonium there in the autumn-winter period.

In countries with a mild and warm climate, it is quite acceptable to grow these flowers in flower beds all year round, but, for example, in Russia this is not possible. As an option, take out pelargonium in pots or transplant into flower beds only for the summer. Then you can enjoy all the vibrant colors and pleasant aroma, especially on a hot day.

We talked in detail about the peculiarities of growing pelargonium at home here, and from this material you will learn about whether it is difficult to grow this flower in the garden.

Wintering

Pelargonium rest period begins in mid-October. At this time, it is necessary to remove the plant in a darkened cool place in the house, with a temperature of 12-15 ° C, limit watering and remove top dressing.

A glazed loggia is most suitable for these conditions. Pelargonium will rest and then in early spring at the beginning of March it will again start growing and flowering.

A sunny day, so beloved by this southern flower, in spring increases more and more, stimulating the active growth of pelargonium. If there is no cool room for wintering pelargonium, the rest period is excluded.

The plant is artificially extended daylight hours with phyto-lamps and fluorescent lamps. Do not use mineral fertilizers for top dressing and slightly reduce watering to avoid hypothermia of the roots.

Diseases and Pests

The most common diseases of pelargonium: root rot (from fungi and hypothermia) and powdery mildew (aphids, ticks). Fungal lesions of the roots and leaves most often occur when water stagnates in the soil with a simultaneous decrease in temperature, infection occurs through the soil with harmful spores.

With a small lesion, it is enough to remove and burn diseased leaves, and treat the plant with a fungicide. If the plant can no longer be saved, it should be destroyed along with the earth. Or destroy only the plant, and thoroughly sterilize the remaining soil.

TIP: If pelargonium is affected by aphids or powdery mildew, first isolate the diseased plant from the rest. At the initial stage of the lesion, it is enough to remove the damaged leaves and treat the plant with Bordeaux liquid or a solution of colloidal sulfur.

Chemical treatment should be done on the balcony or in the bathroom with good ventilation.. If the plant is completely attacked by aphids, it is best to wrap it with a film so as not to spread spores and pests, and put it to destruction.

Read more about why the leaves turn yellow in Pelargonium and how to deal with it, read here, and from this article you will learn about the reasons for the foliage reddening in the plant.

Conclusion

There are many types of pelargonium with stunningly beautiful inflorescences, fragrant healing leaves and an affordable price. Large-flowered royal or pansy angels, lush bushes of zonal pelargoniums or exquisitely angular succulent, hanging ampelous, coniferous or medicinal fragrant scents with lemon, lemon balm, nutmeg and citrus. You will surely find among them the ideal view for you.