A geranium by any other name still a great landscape plant
The name geranium brings to mind several things: the stalwart red blooms we see everywhere from memorial plants marking a loved-one's grave to mass borders in a home landscape to a small container on a porch. They come in different colors, scents and sizes. Nothing beats the versatility or stamina of the geranium.
Except for one matter: The plants we call geraniums are really pelargonium. True geraniums look entirely different, are fairly uncommon in our area and are usually called hardy geraniums. "Pelargomium" comes from the Greek word geranos, meaning crane, as the seed head looks like a crane's bill. The common geranium we use in our landscape can be found in various forms:
- Seed geraniums - These are generally smaller plants than cutting geraniums, with small but more numerous flowers and a more self-branching growth habit. They are often labeled as seed geraniums, and sold in small pots or packs.
- Zonal geraniums - They are named this way because they have a dark ring midway on the leaf. They tend to have bigger blooms ranging in size from 3 to 6 inches, and in all sorts of colors. They tend to grow upright so are best suited for beddings and pots. These can take the most sun and are drought tolerant.
- Ivy-leaved - These are best for hanging baskets and window boxes, as they have a trailing habit. They have a growth habit less upright than the other kinds of geraniums, and the leaves resemble the English ivy plant. Another distinction is they do better in part shade during the extreme heat of the summer.
- Regal - Sometimes called Martha Washington, they come in pastel shades and the leaves have more serrated ends in comparison to the rounded ones of the other varieties. They make excellent indoor plants in a sunny window, but usually do not perform well in the extreme heat of summer.
- Scented - These are specialty geraniums. They are grown for their foliage more than the flowers. They come in lemon, peppermint, citronella and even chocolate, among others. Expect to pay a premium for these.
Geraniums are among the easiest landscape plants to have. They do best in well-drained soil and full sun. Generally a 10-10-10 fertilizer is all that is required to promote continued blooming throughout the season.
Deadheading is important to the health of the plant as well as encouraging new blossoms. Remove any yellow leaves or spent flowers and throw them away. A mold called botrytis is spread through poor sanitation of your plants. Not many insects bother the geranium, but whiteflies, aphids and mealy bugs can attack them. These pests can be managed easily with insecticides found at your local garden center.
Besides the versatility and variety the geraniums offer, they also can be over-wintered for those who want a project for the off season. Not many summer annuals can make the transition but some geraniums will. But who really wants to think about winter when the growing season is just beginning? For more information on growing geraniums, contact the Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County at 963-6842 or email: LackawannaMG @psu.edu and request a copy of "Geraniums."
STEVE WARD is Master Gardener Coordinator for Penn State Extension in Lackawanna County.