Status: 05/05/2023 3:08 p.m
It is commonly referred to as a geranium, but the botanical name of the richly flowering plant is actually pelargonium. Tips on care, location and propagation of the popular balcony flower.
Under ideal conditions, they bloom so profusely that you can hardly see the leaves of the plant: pelargoniums, better known as geraniums. From a botanical point of view, however, this colloquial term is not entirely correct. Behind the botanical name Geranium hides the genus Cranesbill – a hardy perennial.
Many different geranium varieties
Geraniums in front of the window? Botanically, the popular plants are pelargoniums.
There are hundreds of different geranium varieties. They can be roughly divided into three categories: hanging geraniums, which are particularly popular in southern Germany and the Alps, are particularly suitable for window boxes and traffic lights. You can recognize them well by their leaves: These have very firm, almost rubbery leaves. Standing, i.e. upright growing geraniums have velvety soft leaves and are well suited for planting in pots and beds.
Scented geraniums smell intense – like mint, roses, lemons or spices. The scent is particularly pronounced when the leaves are lightly rubbed, as essential oils are then released. The leaves of scented geraniums are edible and go well in a salad. When buying geraniums, you can tell the size by looking at the height of the flower stalk: the higher it is, the taller the geranium will be.
Caring for geraniums and watering them properly
Geraniums need regular water, but should not be watered too often.
The plants prefer a sunny location and bloom from May to October. Geraniums should be kept evenly moist, but will tolerate occasional drought. The rule of thumb is: It is better to water less often. Young plants in particular should not be watered too intensively. They then bloom profusely and the risk of disease is reduced.
A normal liquid fertilizer for flowering plants, which should be used about once a week, is sufficient for fertilizing. There are also special fertilizers, but this is not necessary. Regularly break out dead inflorescences including the stems, this promotes the formation of new flowers.
Easily propagate geraniums by cuttings
Geraniums are easy to propagate from cuttings.
If you want to propagate your geraniums, cut or break off a shoot about a finger long with leaves just below the last leaf node. This does not damage the mother plant – on the contrary: it is stimulated to form new flowers. In order to reduce the evaporation surface and give the cutting a chance to fully concentrate on root development, shorten the leaf mass with a clean knife. Also remove flower stalks and buds. Then put the cutting two inches deep in Put the potting soil in, water it and keep it slightly moist for the next few weeks.
Are geraniums hardy?
Geraniums with the botanical name Pelargonium originally come from southern Africa and are not hardy. They should therefore only be planted outside after the ice saints. Geraniums do not have to be bought new every year because they can overwinter indoors. To do this, the vigorously pruned plants are removed from the ground before the first frost and stored at temperatures between five and ten degrees. They can go outside again in mid-May.
Further information
