Pelargonium x hybridum
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Pelargonium × hortorum
- Phonetic Spelling
- pe-lar-GO-nee-um hy-BRID-um
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Geranium is a short-lived perennial that is tufted and grows up to 2' long. Leaves are simple or divided and are variously colored. This plant has a low drought tolerance. This plant is a summer bloomer and lasts until frost. Wet leaves have a strong unpleasant fishy odor. Geranium is a complex group of hybrids, but easily recognized in beds by the umbels and reniform leaves with large stipules. This plant has numerous cultivars and is utilized in hanging baskets, planters, containers, and bedding. This plant prefers the full sun and cool, moist soils that are well-drained. Seeds should be sown in January-February at 70-75 degrees and planted out in late May. Stem cuttings are taken in July-August and grown under glass until frost danger has passed.
Use this plant as a houseplant or interiorscape or in the landscape grow in a container, in a flower or bedding garden as herbaceous annual.
Quick ID Hints:
- Flowers in umbels on elongated peduncle
- Leaves reniform to orbicular, and peltate
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:
Susceptible to caterpillars, spider mites, mealybugs, fungal diseases, and bacterial diseases. Some cultivars have shown a fair amount of resistance to abiotic disorder (where fair is defined as less than half of the plants in a recent study died from the disease). See Phytophthora Root and Crown Rot in the Landscape.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Deck Garden Container Gardens
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Bravo Pastel'
- 'Bullseye Cherry'
Fair amount of resistance to abiotic disorder. - 'Caliente Orange'
- 'Calliope Dark Red'
Fair amount of resistance to abiotic disorder. - 'Calliope Scarlet Fire'
- 'Frenza Fire'
- 'Sophia'
- 'Straitum'
- 'Tango Dark Red'
- 'Bravo Pastel'
- 'Bravo Pastel', 'Bullseye Cherry', 'Caliente Orange', 'Calliope Dark Red', 'Calliope Scarlet Fire', 'Frenza Fire', 'Sophia', 'Straitum', 'Tango Dark Red'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Bravo Pastel'
- 'Bullseye Cherry'
Fair amount of resistance to abiotic disorder. - 'Caliente Orange'
- 'Calliope Dark Red'
Fair amount of resistance to abiotic disorder. - 'Calliope Scarlet Fire'
- 'Frenza Fire'
- 'Sophia'
- 'Straitum'
- 'Tango Dark Red'
- 'Bravo Pastel'
- 'Bravo Pastel', 'Bullseye Cherry', 'Caliente Orange', 'Calliope Dark Red', 'Calliope Scarlet Fire', 'Frenza Fire', 'Sophia', 'Straitum', 'Tango Dark Red'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Pelargonium
- Family:
- Geraniaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Houseplant
- Poisonous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Maintenance:
- High
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Fruits are rare, but when they do bloom, they are elongated capsules with a beak, dehiscing from beak downwards, and coiling.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Umbel
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are single, semidouble to double, uniform in color of red, pink, or salmon, and occasionally peppermint. Flowers have 5 petals and appear subrotate. Inflorescence is an erect umbel on a long peduncle with involucral bracts hidden.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Cordate
- Orbicular
- Peltate
- Reniform
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are simple, alternate to subopposite, orbicular to reniform, peltate, crenate, undulate to sinuate, cordate, and pubescent. Bruised leaves are aromatic. Leaves are green, often variegated green with a dark green zone in from the margin. Stipules are large, persistent.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are erect, succulent, and glabrescent.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Hanging Baskets
- Houseplants
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Malodorous
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- Vomiting, anorexia, dermatitis Primarily GI upset. Could also see ataxia, muscle weakness, depression or hypothermia in larger exposures, cats are most sensitive.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Geraniol, linalool
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- Yes
- Poison Part:
- Leaves
