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Geraniaceae
Geranium (Pelargonium)
Pelargonium
True friendship, comfort, ingenuity.
- Family
- Geraniaceae
- Genus
- Pelargonium
- Native to
- South Africa
- Bloom season
- Spring, Summer, Fall
- Type
- tender perennial
- Height
- 20–90 cm
- Sunlight
- Full sun to partial shade
- Soil
- Well-drained, slightly acidic
- Water
- Moderate; allow drying between
- Hardiness
- 10–11
- Lifespan
- Perennial in warm climates
Did you know
- The 'geraniums' sold at garden centers are technically Pelargoniums — true geraniums (cranesbills) are a separate, hardier genus.
- Scented-leaf pelargoniums come in dozens of fragrances including rose, lemon, peppermint, apple, and chocolate.
- Pelargonium leaves are used in baking and tea, and rose geranium oil is a key ingredient in fine perfumery.
- The name 'Pelargonium' comes from Greek 'pelargos' (stork) — for the beak-shaped seed pods.
- Geraniums were brought to Europe from the Cape of Good Hope in the 1600s and became wildly popular in Victorian conservatories.