Geranium
Pelargonium Spp.
not valid on prior purchases • cash & carry
Geraniums are known for their clustering, vibrant blooms. They have a unique leaf shape and typically will be dark green but can also have some purple variegation, adding a nice touch to a garden. Geraniums need at least 5+ hours of direct sunlight to produce those iconic blooms. They also prefer a well-draining soil and don’t like wet feet. Being an annual plant in SWFL, Geraniums will last from fall through spring, but don’t do so well with our extreme summers. When they are fully mature, they can reach about 18″ in height can be between 20″-24″ wide depending on your cultivar. Ivy Geraniums, for example, are a trailing variety that grows similar to the common ivy hanging baskets you may see. This particular cultivar is great for a spiller in a pot or in a basket. Geraniums also produce a unique smell when the leaves are rubbed, some people don’t love the smell and others do. Deadheading your spent flowers is the very best way to keep new blooms coming and your plant happy.
Did you know?
Geraniums aren't actually geraniums! The "common geraniums" we all know, and love are classified in the Pelargonium genus, not the Geranium genus. How did this identity crisis happen? In the 18th century Dutch traders found the common geranium in South Africa and later introduced it to Europe. Since their new discovery looked similar to their true geraniums, they put them in the same genus. Many years later, after close inspection, our common geraniums were reclassified as Pelargonium, meaning "storks bill" referring to the shape of their seed pod. Even though they have been reclassified since the 1700's, the name geranium still stuck and is what we use to this day.
