Home»Flowering»Geranium
Just about everyone is surprised to ascertain out their geranium are n’t from the genus Geranium ( jer - AY - nee - um ) but a very alike genus called Pelargonium ( pe - lar - GO - nee - um ) .
Hailing primarily from South Africa and nearby regions , pelargoniums have just over one-half as many species as geranium ( which are know to gardener ashardy geranium ) but are far more plebeian .
But there ’s another panorama to many pelargoniums that make them stand out .
bed collectively as the sweet-scented - go forth geraniums , these species and cultivar have parting that give off a pleasant aroma when bruised .
These proud members of the Geraniaceae family are perennials that may also be grown as annual .
Scented-Leaf Geranium Care
Size And Growth
The size and growth habits of thesetypes of Geranium plantscan vary greatly , as the term “ scented - leave geranium ” may bear on to any genus Pelargonium with scented leaves .
Some are gloomy mound or slightly creeping , while others form taller bush .
The world-wide size of it ranges for these plants are between 1 ’ and 3 ’ foot tall with a 1 ’ to 2 ’ ft cattle ranch .
The industrial plant are in the main categorise by odor first , then by other features such as leaf shape or flower colouration .
These leaves may be dark greenish , gray - green , bright green , or variegated .
Flowering And Fragrance
As with the leaves , the bloom vividness and size may vary greatly .
Common colors are lavender , lilac , pink , red , and white .
Some sweet geraniums have turgid prime , but most are insignificant .
The prime have five petals , with the three low-spirited ones humble than the two upper petals .
In some typesetter’s case , the flowers are also scented .
Light And Temperature
odorous geraniums prefer full Dominicus for the best blooming but can tolerate partial shade weather .
In more southerly clime where the sun is coarse , it ’s ordinarily best to give them mottled sunlight or full sunshine in the morning , followed by some good afternoon tint .
Indoor plants will do well in bright , collateral sunshine .
These plants prefer moderate humidity levels , so average household humidity ( 40 % to 50 % percent ) is perfect .
Most scented geranium will grow as evergreen perennials in USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11 .
reckon on the species or cultivar , some sweet-smelling geraniums will also survive in geographical zone 8 as perennial but will likely die out back for the wintertime .
They opt daytime temperature of around 65 ° to 75 ° degrees Fahrenheit during the sidereal day and 55 ° to 60 ° stage Fahrenheit at night .
While scented geraniums do n’t go dormant during the wintertime , they still take a rest geological period with minimum temperatures of 50 ° degrees Fahrenheit .
Watering And Feeding
Scented geraniums run to be drouth - hardy , although prolonged period without water may result in folio drop .
Using the soaking - and - teetotal method go good for these works .
Soil And Transplanting
A middling rich , well - drain ground is all-important for the best growth .
Making the soil too rich can diminish the plant ’s aroma .
A soil pH of 5.8 to 6.3 is preferred for these flora , although they ’ll generally put up more neutral conditions .
For container plants , a peat - based potting mix lean to turn quite well .
Be sure to tot some total such as perlite or rough-cut grit to help in drainage and help prevent ground compacting .
Scented geraniums normally prefer to be slenderly potbound .
However , they will postulate repotting in the spring every 2 year or so .
Increase the pot by one size as needed , and be sure to give the plant fresh grunge each time you repot it .
Grooming And Maintenance
While this plant is generally hunky-dory with minimal pruning , it can really benefit from some upkeep in the give and crepuscle .
In spring , pruning and pinching back new growth can lead to a much fuller - seem flora .
In the autumn or cool climates , cutting back the plant can often help it overwinter .
Larger , fully prove plants may be clip during the summertime as well to remove damaged or pathologic dowry and prevent legginess .
Deadheading is purely optional but may encourage long flower periods .
How To Propagate Scented-Leaved Geraniums?
Seeds and stem cutting are the two most common methods for diffuse perfumed geraniums .
Scented Leaf Geranium Pests Or Diseases
It ’s not rare to run into aphids , caterpillars , greenflies , mealybugs , scale , wanderer mites , thrips , or whitefly .
Proper care of your scented geranium will greatly reduce the endangerment of plague .
Several disease may appear if the plant is improperly watered , such as botrytis blight , leaf spot , root rot , and southern blight .
Powdery mildew or sooty clay sculpture may also attest on the leaves as a side effect of plague by sap - crapulence pests .
While considered non - toxic to man , scented geraniums ( as with all Pelargonium ) are considered toxic to cats , weenie , knight , and farm animal .
symptom vary greatly but may include skin rashes if the ducky scratch up against a works .
