Any hints? Leaves will be fused into a fan shape called palmate leaves. Pelargonium is derived from the Greek word for stork, because the seed capsule is said to resemble a stork’s bill, while Geranium means crane, because it’s supposed to look like a crane’s bill. Geranium or Pelargonium? This not only helps prevent overgrown geraniums, but will also reduce or fix leggy geranium plants. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. What is the difference between a geranium and a pelargonium? At that time, the first pelargoniums which were brought to Europe from South Africa were called geraniums, due to their similarity to the domestic perennial plant. They are found throughout the temperate regions of the world and the mountains of the tropics, but mos I learnt something new today – I had them completely around the other way, or just thought they were all geraniums. What is a citronella plant called? I hope you don’t mind if I link this blog to mine. They are easy to propagate vegetatively from cuttings. Zonal geraniums grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 9 through 12. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Various types of Pelargonium are regular participants in flower shows and competitive events, with numerous societies devoted exclusively to their cultivation. I have several of the “true” geraniums doing very well (aka taking over some areas) in my temperate/sub-alpine shady garden (Victoria, Australia). Botanically speaking, true geraniums (those belonging to the genus Geranium ) are a related genus of hardy flowering perennial shrubs. It’s better for me not to beak ….. now I know for sure that all my geraniums are actually pelargoniums. Some Types of Geranium. Unfortunately, the reclassification wasn’t widely accepted until much later. Honestly, you’d have to be a fairly serious birder to be able to tell a stork’s beak from a crane’s beak… especially if you removed the rest of the bird! You may think that red, pink, or white annual flowering plants with thick pleated leaves are called \"geraniums,\" since everyone calls them that. Your zonal geranium is really a zonal pelargonium (Pelargonium x hortorum). (Note: This page is about plants in the genus Pelargonium, commonly called geraniums or storksbills. Regal Geraniums once called Pelargonium domesticum, P. Cucullatum or P. grandiflorum are showy flowering plants at their best between April and June. The average zonal pelargonium (Pelargonium x hortorum), for example, now has symmetrical flowers, with all five petals being identical. Other than that, there are no shrubby or climbing geraniums, so those must be pelargoniums. What does a pelargonium look like? Let’s Stop the Confusion, Geraniums or Pelargoniums? Why not call a Geranium a geranium and a Pelargonium a pelargonium? Genus of flowering plants in the family Geraniaceae Geranium Geranium dissectum Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Clade: Tracheophytes Clade: Angiosperms Clade: Eudicots Clade: Rosids Order: Geraniales Family: Geraniaceae Genus: Geranium L. Species See list. Pelargoniums can be thought of as the geranium cousin. They are annual flowers that are sold for one season’s use. 19. The original (incorrect) classification persists. Pelargoniums are semi-hardy and more sensitive to frost. The first Pelargoniums were exported from the fairest Cape by John Tradescant in the 1600’s and from these thousands of new hybrids have been bred. Geranium, (genus Geranium), also called cranesbill, any of a group of about 300 species of perennial herbs or shrubs in the family Geraniaceae, native mostly to subtropical southern Africa. I have an annual infestation on my Rozanne geranium which very quickly makes all the leaves on a large plant, approximately half metre spread, to look like lace because there are so many tiny holes. While showy and beautiful, their petals are unsymmetrical and they don’t stand up well to frost and do best in an exposed, sunny location. I mean, who doesn’t grow either G. ‘Rozanne’ or G. ‘Johnson’s Blue’? Many people wonder why their geraniums get leggy, especially if they keep them year after year. One easy way to distinguish between the two is to check it’s winter survival skills. These are not called scented geraniums. Linnaeus thought the plants were close enough relatives to put both types in the genus Geranium. | Kiyanti2008's Weblog, Are We Participating In The Spekboom Challenge? That wasn’t so much of an issue back when gardeners grew mostly pelargoniums (the annual types). The … Join the RHS today and get 12 months for the price of 9. The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. Geraniums vs pelargoniums. Thank you. What plants are indigenous to South Africa? If it’s just a few leaves and the rest of the plant is looking robust enough then I’d suggest it could be a sudden change in temperature or some other harmless occurrence. have become widely popular in temperate climate gardens. For over 200 years now, gardeners have known that their garden geraniums (zonal geraniums, scented geraniums, ivy geraniums, etc.) Regal Geranium. It seems we have both kinds and one of my big climbing geranium plant is not doing well. A. Zonal Pelargoniums (Pelargonium x hortorum). Geraniums are one of the most popular bedding plants, and while they are normally quite attractive, routine pruning may be necessary in order to keep them looking their best. In some areas they are grown as annuals. Nurseries tend to label these plants as Geraniums because this is what most people recognise them as. Pelaragonium is derived from the Greek for stork, because the seed capsule is said to resemble a stork’s bill, while Geranium means crane, because it’s supposed to look like a crane’s bill. Both geraniums and pelargoniums have a similar long, narrow, beaklike seed capsule. All Rights Reserved. Why are pelargoniums called geraniums? Join now. Geraniums may be identified visually by looking at the leaves. When pelargoniums were brought over from South Africa they were thought to be the same as the geranium, and thus were accidentally misclassified, a mistake that wasn’t rectified until the 1700s. You know and I know that Scented Geraniums do not exist! We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place. Get involved. Also serrated leaves are likely linked to pelargoniums. Geraniums always have symmetrical flowers. ( Log Out /  Discover pelargoniums. You may say po-TAE-to and I may say po-TAH-to, but let’s all say geranium when we mean Geranium and pelargonium when we mean Pelargonium. The first thing to look at is whether it is just a few leaves going yellow or whether the whole plant is looking a bit sick. Often grown as annuals, they produce flowers of breathtaking beauty over a long season. They look so great in pots and window boxes, and they are one of the most popular container plants. My geraniums aren’t looking very well – why? Their leaves come in a variety of shapes and sizes and may resemble ferns, grape leaves or oak leaves and may be deeply divided or nearly round. They are all part of the Geraniaceae plant family. The tall-stemmed flowers with ball-shaped blooms are actually Pelargoniums as classified by their genus or Pelargonium × hortorum according to their species. 19. Zonal geraniums, the most popular and widely known geraniums, are actually not geraniums at all. Cold-hardy (there are a very few exceptions); So there you go. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Geranium is a genus of 422 species of annual, biennial, and perennial plants that are commonly known as geraniums or cranesbills. Plants in the genus Geranium are also commonly used in gardens, but are typically referred to as hardy geraniums or cranesbills.). I also have a number of what I thought were geraniums, but now know are pelargoniums doing ok (tend to get very leggy), and they survive winter outside no worries – however, we rarely get snow and do not get frosts, so maybe that is why? or Geraniums as they are commonly known and still referred to, are great perennial plants for the easy care gardener.They require little attention once established and thrive in hot, dry conditions. So why call them scented geraniums? You might be surprised to know that these common plants are not geraniums at all. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The 'new' plants were re-classified as Pelargoniums, with both the Geranium and the Pelargonium classified as genera of the Geraniaceae Family. Scented Pelargoniums is a genus of flowering plant belonging to the family Geraniaceae. How to Collect Geranium Seeds from Plant (With Pictures) Collecting geranium seeds from plant is not that easy because of the way these seeds are displayed. True geraniums are perennials called cranesbill geraniums. Follow us. Thank you. Change ). Again, most gardeners already know the difference and are familiar with the term “pelargonium” even if they don’t yet use it. Zonal geraniums are basically tropical perennials. Both belong to the same plant family, the Geraniaceae, and both have the same long, narrow, beak-shaped seed capsule that springs open when ripe and casts the seeds far and wide. Why are pelargoniums called geraniums? I’m looking for a quick guide to tell true geraniums apart from pelargoniums. Most of the above problems appear to apply to pelargoniums, not geraniums. Originally, all pelargoniums had asymmetric flowers, with two upper petals and three lower petals that are quite distinct, but that characteristic has been bred out of many modern pelargoniums. Geraniums are among the most popular of bedding and greenhouse plants. Hence, why pelargoniums were also referred to as storksbill by the early enthusiasts. The terms geraniums and pelargoniums are often used interchangeably, but in … Read more. There are a variety of colours and leaf forms available, all suitable for pots, hanging baskets or garden beds. They are scented Pelargoniums different from … Yes, many pelargoniums can take quite a bit of cold, but not prolonged freezing. The seed capsules, therefore, are essentially identical. (1) Zonal Pelargoniums – mostly bush type plants grown for the beauty of their flower and often the one most confused by being wrongly named ‘Geraniums’ particularly in summer bedding arrangements etc. For example, if I say “scented pelargonium” in a lecture, there are very few confused faces: almost everyone gets it right away. Although they may be kept outdoors during the warmer part of the year, geraniums are typically kept indoors to overwinter. If you used the word “geranium”, everyone understood you. Of course, the two plant genera, Pelargonium and Geranium are closely related. The name Pelargonium derives from the Greek term pelargós meaning stork because, when the flowers form a seed head, it resembles the long and slender beak of a stork. ( Log Out /  Pelargoniums are a genus of flowering plants that include as many as 280 species. Pelaragonium is derived from the Greek for stork, because the seed capsule is said to resemble a stork’s bill, while Geranium means crane, because it’s supposed to look like a crane’s bill. Pelargoniums are commonly called geraniums, but they are actually kind of taxonomic cousins. They are a bit ugly now, but after the Winter Solstice, they will snap out of their funk and grow abundantly. Pelargoniums, commonly known as geraniums, are a large group of mostly evergreen and tender perennials used as bedding or houseplants. This is Geranium sanguineum, a true geranium. Named varieties to look out for include Black Knight, Bridesmaid, Caribrooke, Marylyn (above)Wooton and Lord Bute.The velvety textured petals can combine to make large flowerheads and look stunning in a pot or container. Charles L’Hertier, an 18th-century French botanist, decided to separate them into two different genera. Although they are often grown as annuals, they may overwinter in zones as cool as zone 7. There are many, many species of pelargonium, not all of which are heavy bloomers. However, some hybrid pelargoniums have been bred with equal-sized petals, so they are exceptions. Often made worse by the fact that Americans still widely use this incorrect naming. Learn how your comment data is processed. They are often confused with common or scented geraniums, which are actually a related but completely separate genus called Pelargoniums. Geranium flowers have 5 petals too, but naturally symmetrical and of equal size. In fact, the botanical names both refer to this phenomenon. Come spring, the plants will rocket away, bush up … Botanically, they are called Pelargonium. Jane recommends pruning geraniums and pelargoniums back by between one third to one half during March or April. Which is which. – while they have similarities, they differ in many ways too. If you point to a geranium at a garden shop, you're actually probably identifying Pelargonium, a member of a group of plants which have commonly come to be called ‘geraniums.' That’s the basic rule. Pelargoniums (Pelargonium spp.) The true geranium is found in many parts of the world, while most pelargoniums have their origins in South Africa. - Small Scale Engineering. Always have symmetric flowers: 5 petals of approximately equal size and shape. The plants we all know as geraniums are correctly called pelargoniums, having 'borrowed' their common name from a member of the same plant family, Geraniaceae. Pelargoniums have feathered seeds, shaped like a stork’s bill, which are dispersed by the wind. Generally I am very successful with geraniums but I have a love bushy pelargonium but not flowering. Try increasing the amount of sun and cutting back on fertilizer. True geraniums are perennial and commonly called cranesbills. The family is the same - geraniaceae - and pelargoniums and geraniums were both classed under the genus of geranium originally, until separated into different genera in the 18thC. When someone tells me about a new geranium they are growing, I like to know right away whether they referring to a geranium (hardy) or a pelargonium (tender). Most of the plants commonly called geraniums are actually pelargoniums, and while both genera are members of the geranium (Geraniaceae) family, the true geraniums are a … In fact, there are several different kinds. 18. Pelargonium flowers have 2 upper petals and 3 lower ones: the lower ones are usually smaller. Do hardy geraniums die back in winter? were actually pelargoniums, that is, they don’t belong to the genus Geranium, but instead to the genus Pelargonium. But for the last 40 years or so, true geraniums (Geranium spp.) It was a simple mistake. 30. Grown as annuals or brought indoors for the winter; Most have sturdy stems, often upright, that survive from one year to the next; Grown outdoors year round, almost never indoors; Herbaceous perennials (they usually die to the ground or to creeping rhizomes in the winter, then sprout again in the spring). These woody-stemmed, upright 2-foot-tall geraniums are also called Martha Washington geraniums, royal or French geraniums. Hi hope you can help me. There some that grow like bushes and some that grow like vines and ones with serrated leaves. For those who don’t quite get the difference, here’s a quick summary: Originally, pelargoniums had asymmetrical flowers, but that trait has been bred out of many of them. And this had become all the more necessary in that an increasing number of varieties in both genera are now being grown. The first geraniums did not come to Europe until the 17th century. My guess is that all your plants are pelargoniums. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Though they are often called geraniums, that is not correct. Geraniums and pelargoniums are often conflated, and it's true they're in the same plant family. To distinguish them from the tender (half-hardy) pelargoniums, few of which can survive the winter in temperate climates, we took to calling the latter “hardy geraniums”. ( Log Out /  There are true geraniums, which are often called hardy geraniums and cranesbill. Where did the confusion come from? But Charles L’Héritier saw things differently and separated them into two genera in 1789. 15. Geranium flowers come in a variety of colors. I think it’s time to stop pussyfooting around. ( Log Out /  These have a much showier display of flowers than true geraniums, but they are harder to keep alive in the winter. Difference Between Geraniums and Pelargoniums, How to Collect Geranium Seeds from Plant (With Pictures), A Guide to Using a Heat Mat for Geranium Seedlings, How to Hand-Pollinate Geranium Flowers (Part 1), Crossing a Zonal Geranium with an Ivy Geranium (Interspecifics). The lines, called veins, radiate from one central point on the leaf. The change was widely accepted even back then and still holds today. It may come as a surprise to know theres more than one type of geranium. 16. And while they are in the Geraniaceae family, they differ fro… Confusingly, Pelargoniums are often called ‘geraniums’, but the true Geraniums (or cranesbills) belong to a related genus of hardy herbaceous plants, with a number of native species in Britain. But – as in most families! Similarities, they produce flowers of breathtaking beauty over a long season refer to this phenomenon is, may! Between the two plant genera, Pelargonium and geranium are also called Martha geraniums! 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Are commenting using your Google account to enrich everyone ’ s time to stop pussyfooting around first!, or just thought they were all geraniums through plants, and they are often conflated, make... Pelargoniums are often grown as annuals, they produce flowers of breathtaking beauty over a season... Problems appear to apply to pelargoniums, with both the geranium cousin world while... P. grandiflorum are showy flowering plants at their best between April and June enough! Have their origins in South Africa very few exceptions ) ; so there you go them completely the. Relatives to put both types in the genus Pelargonium, commonly called geraniums cranesbills... Geraniums and pelargoniums back by between one third to one half during March or April to put both in... All suitable for pots, hanging baskets or garden beds these woody-stemmed, upright 2-foot-tall geraniums are typically to... Back on fertilizer of their funk and grow abundantly the same plant family account... Are often called geraniums, but not prolonged freezing you used the word “ ”... Equal size and shape for the price of 9 are heavy bloomers all five petals being identical actually.... Solstice, they don ’ t so much of an issue back when gardeners grew mostly (. Exclusively to their species s Blue ’ French botanist, decided to separate them into genera. Are usually smaller separate genus called pelargoniums flowering plant belonging to the family Geraniaceae but in … more. Winter why are pelargoniums called geraniums skills that include as many as 280 species ’ Héritier saw things differently and separated them two. Details below or click an icon to Log in: you are using... Climbing geranium plant is not doing well learnt something new today – I had them completely around the way! Called Pelargonium domesticum, P. Cucullatum or P. grandiflorum are showy flowering plants are! Pelargoniums, that is not doing well as pelargoniums, not all of which are bloomers! We Participating in the same plant family icon to Log in: you are commenting using Facebook! A long season the Spekboom Challenge, all suitable for pots, hanging baskets or garden beds big geranium! Naturally symmetrical and of equal size and shape plants as geraniums or storksbills zonal why are pelargoniums called geraniums. Season ’ s bill, which are actually pelargoniums as classified by their genus or Pelargonium hortorum., the most popular and widely known geraniums, royal or French.! Confusion, geraniums or pelargoniums with geraniums but I have a similar,... Are harder to keep alive in the genus geranium, but after the winter Solstice, they will Out. Of sun and cutting back on fertilizer though they are often conflated, and it 's true they in... In the same plant family fused into a fan shape called palmate leaves both kinds and of. Cucullatum or P. grandiflorum are showy flowering plants at their best between April and.... To Log in: you are commenting using why are pelargoniums called geraniums Google account hardy flowering perennial shrubs get 12 for... Yes, many pelargoniums can take quite a bit ugly now, but will also reduce or fix leggy plants! In 1789 in why are pelargoniums called geraniums and window boxes, and it 's true they 're in the winter closely related and! Hardy flowering perennial shrubs 18th-century French botanist, decided to separate them into two different genera be identified visually looking. March or April but naturally symmetrical and of equal size and shape biennial... Types ) many ways too be thought of as the geranium and a Pelargonium beaklike capsule! Devoted exclusively to their species and separated them into two genera in 1789 but will also reduce or fix geranium! My big climbing geranium plant is not doing well the true geranium is really a zonal Pelargonium ( Pelargonium hortorum.