Ask people on the street about the most common houseplant and most will name the geranium.
This flower has long taken its place on our windowsills, and yet it is widespread pelargonium(this is the scientific name for the common geranium) and outdoors in gardens and parks.
In total there are about 400 species of herbaceous And semi-shrub geraniums, their height is usually up to 60 cm, dissected leaves are pubescent, and the flowers are purple, white or purple.
room geranium is unpretentious, easily takes root in an apartment and can delight with bright colors all year round.
The birthplace of most varieties and varieties of pelargonium, including room geranium as the original plant, is South Africa, and more specifically the Cape region, which gave us many other ornamental plants: chlorophytum, clivia, sansevera.
The African savannah is very hot, the sun is constantly shining, and the stony and sandy soils contain almost no moisture. Plants adapt to such arid extreme conditions and save reserves water in thickened stems.
Later, other types of geraniums were found in India, Australia, and Madagascar.
Probably, geranium was distributed during the existence of the ancient single continent of Gondwana.
The plant came to Europe with sailors in the 16th century, at first it became fashionable among aristocrats, and later it came into the homes of ordinary citizens. Noble nobles grew geraniums in their winter gardens and greenhouses, at court ladies decorated clothes and hats with flowers. Ordinary people also gladly grew a bright and undemanding flower, especially since it has useful for human health properties.
The most common of indoor pelargoniums:
- fragrant, very strong smell, but hardly blooms;
- royal, large beautiful flowers keep from the beginning of spring to the middle of summer.
The geranium that is familiar to us is due to an English breeder.
The name of the creator of the royal geranium based on the fragrant Indian is known: he was the English gardener-breeder George (according to other sources, John) Tradescan, after whom, later, the ornamental plant, Tradescantia, was named. In 1631, his creation saved the king from insomnia with its soothing fragrance in the bedroom and thus the flower became the favorite of the king. And thanks to its appearance, the flower gained popularity among court ladies.
Why do croton leaves fall? You can find the answer in our article at the link:
Peter the Great, according to legend, treated an ingrown nail in Europe with geraniums and brought it to Russia. Russian healers began to use the new plant and created many additional recipes.
According to other sources, in 1795 the English King George III sent pelargonium and many other plants to Catherine II for a garden in Pavlovsk.
The plant fell in love, took root, and now it is impossible to imagine an ordinary Russian apartment without it.
This is such a long and long journey that the pelargonium flower has made to us, starting from hot South Africa through the breeders of foggy and rainy England, to delight us with a peculiar healing aroma and bright beautiful geranium flowers on our windowsills.
Article date: 06/25/2007
Family: Geraniums (Geraniaceae).
common name: Geranium.
Homeland: predominantly in South Africa.
Bloom: depending on the species from spring to autumn.
Height: fast.
Light: bright. The plant tolerates direct sunlight.
Temperature: summer - room. In winter, pelargoniums are kept as cool as possible, at a temperature of 8-12?.
Watering: moderate, as pelargoniums do not like waterlogging. In winter, the plants are watered very sparingly.
Air humidity: does not play a significant role. On hot days, you can spray.
Top dressing: 2-3 months after transplantation, pelargonium is fed with superphosphate, which stimulates flowering. Plants do not tolerate fresh organic fertilizers well.
Pruning: yellowed and drying leaves must be cut off, leaving the lower part of the petiole on the stem.
rest period: from November to February. The plant is kept in a cool (8-12°C) place, watered very carefully.
Transfer: young are transplanted annually, adults - as needed.
Reproduction: seeds, cuttings.
Pelargonium ( Pelargonium L'Her) is one of the most common and beloved indoor and balcony plants, often incorrectly called geranium. Natural species of pelargonium, and they number from 280 to 350 plants of the geranium family, are distributed mainly in South Africa.
These are herbaceous plants and subshrubs, rarely shrubs, sometimes succulent, with leaves of various shapes - whole, lobed or deeply dissected. The flowers are collected in umbellate inflorescences.
Unlike true geraniums (genus Geranium ),
in which the flowers are absolutely regular (i.e., with several planes of symmetry), the flowers of pelargonium are bilaterally symmetrical (have one plane of symmetry).
The fruit - a long narrow box, thinning towards the top - resembles the shape of a stork's beak, hence the name of the genus (from the Greek pelargos - stork).
Many species - widespread ornamental plants, are represented in the collections of botanical gardens; some are valuable raw materials for the extraction of essential oils used in the perfume and soap industries. A number of species are suitable for growing indoors.
Some people (precisely some - a number of people suffer from the smell of pelargonium, it all depends on the characteristics of the body), inhaling the smell of the plant, calm down, they have insomnia. Pelargonium helps with hypertension, cardiovascular diseases. It also has a beneficial effect on metabolic processes, the secretory function of the gastrointestinal tract, the endocrine system and sexual potency. In folk medicine, a decoction of pelargonium leaves is used to treat headaches. Preparations from pelargonium relieve headaches, normalize sleep. An infusion of herbs is drunk for dysentery, acute and chronic enterocolitis, and water decoctions are used for pulmonary hemorrhages, tonsillitis, they are washed with festering wounds, and they relieve aching joints.
Pelargonium essential oil, obtained by steam distillation, contains substances that have a detrimental effect on certain pathogens (therefore, it is used to treat infectious diseases). Essential oil refreshes the air, cleans it from harmful impurities.
Compresses with crushed pelargonium leaves are made sick with sciatica or osteochondrosis.
During the hot summer months, pelargoniums repel flies.
Plants shedding leaves during dormancy:
Pelargonium fluffy (Pelargonium crithmifolium sm.)- photo. The plant is native to South and Southwest Africa. Succulents, forked, shrubs, with creeping shoots up to 1.5 cm thick. Leaves are pinnately lobed, 5-8 cm long, slightly pubescent or smooth, glaucous. Flowers 4-6 are collected in umbrellas, white, with red spots of the throat; pedicels 1-2.5 cm long. Grow well in moderately warm rooms. Propagated by cuttings and seeds.
Pelargonium quadrangular (Pelargonium tetragonum(L.f.) L'Her.). Homeland - South Africa.a Bushy plant 30-70 cm high, with stems branched at the base, erect or decumbent, consisting of three-tetrahedral segments 6-8 mm wide of various colors - from light green to green-gray. The leaves are alternate, on long petioles, slightly pubescent, 2-5 cm wide, usually dry up and fall off in winter. The leaf blade is heart-shaped with a red-brown border. In spring or summer, flowers appear on the plant, resembling a butterfly in shape, with a color from white-cream to pale pink, with 3 large upper petals and 2 small lower ones. It grows well in a lighted and ventilated room with a temperature of at least 10 ° C. Watering in the spring-summer period is plentiful, in autumn-winter - limited. The soil is nutritious with good drainage. Propagated in spring-summer, cuttings from the central part of the stems, rooted in a sandy, almost dry substrate.
Evergreen shrubs and shrubs:
Pelargonium angular (Pelargonium angulosum Mill.). It is found in the southwestern part of the Cape Province (South Africa). Plants up to 1 m tall. The leaves are oval, 3-5-angular-lobed, broadly cuneate at the base, pointed. The petiole is short. The inflorescence is a multi-flowered umbel. The flowers are bright red. Blooms in August-October. As part of parental pairs, it was used in works on breeding garden pelargoniums (as a result of crossings with P. grandiflorum).
Pelargonium capitate (Pelargonium capitatum(L.) L'Her.)- photo. It lives on wet soils on coastal dunes in the Cape Province (South Africa). Evergreens, shrubs 0.5–0.6 m tall, densely pubescent; shoots are straight, widely spread. Leaves 3–5-obtuse, serrate; stipules broadly heart-shaped, dense. The inflorescence is a multi-flowered umbel. Flowers are sessile, purple-pink - photo. Blooms in July-August. Leaves with a pleasant aroma; essential oil is extracted from them, reminiscent of the smell of rose oil. It is a house plant.
Pelargonium curly (Pelargonium crispum(P. J. Bergius) L'Her.). It grows in the southwestern part of the Cape Province (South Africa). Evergreens, shrubs 0.3–0.6 m tall, strongly branched. The leaves are two-row arranged, small, almost heart-shaped, 3-lobed, curly at the edges, unevenly serrated, hard, with a pleasant lemon aroma. Flowers collected in 2–3, on short pedicels - photo. Blooms in July-August. It is a house plant.
Pelargonium klobuchkovy (Pelargonium cucullatum(L.) L'Her.)- photo. The homeland of the plant is the Cape Province (South Africa). Highly branched shrubs, shoots densely pubescent. Leaves are kidney-shaped, densely pubescent. Umbrellas are multicolored. Flowers purple-red. Blooms in August-September. Form Flora Pleno has double flowers. As part of the parent pairs, it was used in the breeding of garden varieties of pelargonium.
Pelargonium grandiflora (Pelargonium grandiflorum(Andrews) Willd.). The homeland of the plant is Southwest Africa, the Cape Province (South Africa). Evergreens, branched shrubs up to 90 cm tall. Leaves are reniform-round, more or less 5–7-lobed or dissected, glabrous or slightly silky-hairy, coarsely serrated along the edges; stipules free, ovate. Peduncle with 2-3 flowers. Flowers 2.5–3.5 cm in diameter, white, with reddish veins. Blooms in April-June. As part of the parental pairs, it was used in the breeding of large-flowered garden pelargoniums.
Pelargonium fragrant (Pelargonium graveolens L'Her.). It grows in the southern and southwestern parts of the Cape Province (South Africa). Shrubs strongly branched, up to 1 m tall, with short glandular hairs. Leaves 5–7-lobed; lobes deeply notched (almost pinnately notched), pubescent on both sides, with a pleasant strong aroma. The flowers are collected in multi-flowered umbrellas, pink, dark pink. Blooms profusely in summer.
Pelargonium soiling (Pelargonium inquinans(L.) L'Her.)- photo. The homeland of the plant is Natal (South Africa). Shrubs up to 1.5 m tall; young shoots are more or less fleshy, pubescent. Leaves are round-kidney-shaped (sometimes finely lobed), glandular-pubescent; stipules broadly heart-shaped. The flowers are collected in umbrellas, on short pedicels, scarlet-red. Blooms from May to autumn, sometimes in winter. It is one of the ancestral forms of garden zonal pelargoniums.
Pelargonium fragrant (Pelargonium odoratissimum(L.) L'Her.)- photo. The homeland of the plant is the Cape Province (South Africa). Shrubs with a short, 15–22 cm tall trunk, branched; branches are short, grassy; the crown is rounded. The leaves are heart-shaped, rounded, 2.5–5 cm wide, blunt-toothed along the edges, softly silky pubescent, with a strong pleasant aroma; stipules triangular, small. Flowers 5-10 are collected in umbrellas, white to pink. Blooms in summer. Widespread in culture, suitable for growing in rooms.
Pelargonium corymbose (Pelargonium peltatum(L.) L'Her.). Homeland - Southeast Africa. shrubs; branches branched, drooping, glabrous or with small hairs, slightly ribbed. Leaves are shield-shaped, 7–10 cm wide, 5-obtuse, entire, glossy green, glabrous, sometimes finely pubescent, fleshy. Flowers 5-8 are collected in umbrellas, pink-red, white. Blooms from spring to autumn. There are many forms. As part of parental pairs, it was used in works on breeding garden pelargoniums. Often used as an ampelous plant, grows well in rooms.
Pelargonium pink (Pelargonium radens H. E. Moore ( P. radula(Cavend.) L'Her.))- photo. Grows on mountain slopes, along river banks on sandy soils in the southern and southwestern parts of the Cape Province (South Africa). Branched shrubs, up to 1.5 m tall, with stiff short hairs. The leaves are deeply divided; the lobes are linear, densely covered with hairs above and softer hairs below, with curved edges, with a strong pleasant aroma. Inflorescence of 4-5 small flowers. Peduncle densely pubescent. The flowers are pale purple, with dark veins - photo. Blooms in summer.
Pelargonium zonal (Pelargonium zonale(L.) L'Her.). Synonym: Geranium zonal (Geranium zonale L.). Occurs in the shrubby semi-savannah in the southeastern and southern parts of the Cape Province (South Africa). Evergreen shrubs 0.8–1 (1.5) m tall; shoots fleshy, pubescent. The leaves are heart-shaped, rounded, entire or slightly lobed, glabrous or (only a few) soft-haired, with a brown or dark brown stripe on top - a girdle. Stipules wide, oblong-heart-shaped. The inflorescence is multi-flowered. Flowers sessile, carmine red. It blooms for a long time - from May to September (October). It is one of the main ancestral forms of garden hybrid zonal pelargoniums propagated vegetatively.
Pelargoniums, widespread in indoor floriculture:
In culture, hybrids and varieties are widespread. Pelargonium grandiflorum hybridumhort., Pelargonium peltatum hybridumhort., Pelargonium zonale hybridumhort. They have found use as potted plants and are also used ( P. zonale hybridura hort.) in floral arrangement.
Pelargonium large-flowered hybrid, or P. english (Pelargonium grandifiorum hybridum hort. ( Pelargonium domesticam bailey, P. grandiflorum short.)). Shrubs and subshrubs with rapidly woody shoots, mostly single shoots. Leaves without a brown belt on the upper surface, not dissected or only slightly lobed, serrated along the edges, with a slight aroma when broken. The flowers are collected in umbrellas on long peduncles, simple, large, 5 cm in diameter, red, pink or white, with dark spots on the petals.
Some of the varieties:
Enzette Anna Melle- bright red flowers;
Enzette Perle- light carmine-pink flowers;
autumn haze- orange and salmon flowers;
Destiny- white flowers;
Geranimo- bright red flowers;
Mont Blanc- flowers are white, in dark purple spots;
Perle von Clemstal- flowers are white, with a pinkish tint, in red spots;
Symphonic- flowers are pink, with a lilac tint and black spots.
Pelargonium zonal garden (Pelargonium zonale hort.). Plants with thick shoots, woody with age, especially below. The leaves are rounded to kidney-shaped, slightly lobed along the edges, pubescent, with a more or less prominent reddish or pale yellow rim. The flowers are collected in umbrellas, red, pink, white, sometimes lilac, simple, semi-double and double.
In ornamental horticulture, the species is represented by numerous hybrids and varieties. It is the main industrial crop, used in flower decoration in all countries.
From varieties P. zonalehort. The following are widely used:
Dresdener Rubin- scarlet flowers, semi-double; used for
casing and as potted;
Enzett Richards Schrader- salmon-pink flowers, terry; early-blooming variety;
Westfalenstar- flowers ruby red, semi-double.
Radio- scarlet flowers, semi-double;
Salmon Irene- salmon flowers, large, slightly double;
Erfolg- salmon flowers, terry, densely leafy; used for planting, as a pot and for decorating balconies;
meteor- scarlet-red flowers, terry, etc.
In culture there are hybrids between - Pelargonium zonale
And Pelargonium peltatum
.
Varieties Pelargonium zonale short. valued for variegation, abundant and long flowering throughout the growing season in open ground; are widely used for planting on borders, rabatki and flower beds, they are also bred as potted plants for rooms.
Pelargonium thyroid garden ( Pelargonium peltatum hort.). Shoots hanging or creeping. The leaves are thick, smooth, glossy, sometimes finely pubescent, almost round, 5-lobed or 5-angled, entire, more or less ciliated, green, sometimes with a brown zone. The flowers are simple, semi-double and double, red, lilac, pink, white.
It is widely used for decorating balconies and as a pot-and-ampel plant.
Common varieties:
Amethyst- purple flowers;
Lachskonigin- salmon-pink flowers;
Ville de Paris- salmon-pink flowers;
Holstein- pink flowers;
Galilee- salmon-pink flowers; and etc.
Plant care:
Plants are photophilous, tolerate direct sunlight, it is best to keep them on the south window near the glass. Plants tolerate both northern and eastern windows, however, with a lack of light, they stretch out in winter. In winter, pelargonium can be illuminated with fluorescent lamps. The room with pelargonium must be ventilated.
In summer, plants are recommended to be placed outdoors. When taking plants outdoors, they should not be knocked out of their pots to dig into the ground, but rather buried in the ground with a pot so that they do not grow too violently to the detriment of flowering. In September - October, when frost approaches, the plants are transferred indoors.
The temperature in summer is room temperature. In winter, pelargoniums are kept as cool as possible, at a temperature of 8-12?. The winter period and the period until April are decisive for the subsequent flowering, since the laying of flower buds occurs at a relatively low temperature (11 - 13?) for 2.5-3 months. This period is characterized by a short day, which is also significant, since pelargoniums are short-day plants.
Watering is moderate, as pelargoniums do not like waterlogging. Watering should be done after two to three days, after the top layer of the substrate has dried. In winter, the plants are watered very moderately to restrain growth during the winter lack of light and prevent them from stretching. In addition, waterlogging of plants in winter with a cool content often leads to wilting of leaves and rotting of the root neck and roots.
Pelargonium does not require constant spraying; the plant tolerates dry air well. On hot summer days, periodic spraying of the plant will be beneficial.
2-3 months after transplantation, pelargonium is fed with superphosphate, which stimulates flowering. Plants do not tolerate fresh organic fertilizers well.
Yellowed and drying leaves must be cut off, leaving the lower part of the petiole on the stem. If they are cut off, then rotting may begin on the exposed tissues. The rotten parts are immediately cut to living tissue, and the sections are sprinkled with charcoal powder.
Every year in March, pelargonium is transplanted into a fresh land mixture of young plants. At the same time, they are heavily pruned, leaving 2-5 buds on each shoot, in order to subsequently obtain low, lush, abundantly flowering specimens. Overgrown pelargoniums are transplanted only if necessary (when the pot becomes cramped). The substrate is selected neutral or slightly acidic (pH about 6), light, well permeable to air and water. May consist of equal parts of soddy, leafy soil, peat, humus and sand with a small addition of charcoal. Good drainage is a must.
Pelargoniums can be propagated by seeds. When propagated by seeds, the splitting of parental traits is obtained, therefore sowing by seeds is used for breeding purposes.
Seeds are sown in spring in boxes or in bowls in a substrate composed of sod, peat soil and sand in equal volumes. At a temperature of 20–22? shoots appear after 12 days. Seedlings dive into 5-centimeter pots, and after weaving a clod of earth, transshipment into 9-centimeter ones is given. Seedlings bloom in a year, but more often after 14 months.
Pelargonium is propagated most often by apical cuttings with 3-5 leaves, in spring (February-March) and summer (July-August). The cuttings are cut from the apical and lateral shoots with 3-4 nodes, making a cut obliquely under the bud. The cut cuttings are slightly dried for several hours, the slices are dipped in charcoal powder (one crushed tablet of heteroauxin is mixed into 100-150 g of powder), and then planted several times in a pot or bowl, placing them along the edge of the dish.
To form a lush bush, pinch the apical bud. The planted cuttings are exposed to a well-lit place (without direct sunlight) and at first (before rooting) they are moistened carefully, only by spraying. Cuttings take root in 2-3 weeks.
Rooted cuttings are planted in pots one at a time, without pruning, so that they bloom more quickly. The smaller the pot, the more abundant the flowering will be. Plants grown from cuttings cut in August bloom as early as April, and during spring cuttings, flowering occurs only in mid-summer.
Some amateurs cut zonal pelargonium in September. Cuttings with 2-3 nodes are cut from shoots that do not have buds, so as not to reduce the decorative effect of the plant, they are dried, and then all large leaves are removed. The lower cut of the cuttings is sprinkled with charcoal powder. The cuttings are planted in a box filled with a mixture of peat (or greenhouse) soil (1 part) and sand (2 parts). During the rooting period, the cuttings are watered moderately, and the room is regularly ventilated.
After the formation of 4-5 normal leaves, the cuttings are transplanted into 7 cm pots or paper cups. The earthen mixture is made up of soddy soil (8 parts), humus (2 parts), sand (one part) and a little flower mixture with micronutrient fertilizers is added. Seedlings are watered with warm water.
In early February, the plants are pinched, after which young shoots quickly grow and buds appear. By the end of April - beginning of May, the plants bloom.
Thyroid pelargonium cuttings, cut with 1-2 leaves, take root well in coarse sand in good light. In the first 2-3 days they are not watered, and then watered sparingly. Plants must not be sprayed.
They take root in 2-3 weeks. Rooted cuttings are planted one or two in 7-centimeter pots, then transferred to 11-centimeter ones. The nutrient mixture is prepared in the same way as for zonal pelargonium cuttings.
Pelargonium plants of zonal and thyroid, grown from spring cuttings, bloom in July - August. Two- and three-year-old plants bloom well. Pelargonium grandiflora blooms in the second or third year. Without pruning, it blooms more abundantly than pruned. Plants grown from cuttings rooted in August bloom earlier in the rooms. Rooted cuttings are left unplanted for the winter. In the spring, they are seated in separate small pots and, so that they bloom faster, do not pinch.
Precautionary measures:
all parts of plants of some species of pelargonium are slightly poisonous: they can cause contact dermatitis.
Possible difficulties:
Due to the lack of light, the lower leaves may fall off, the stem is stretched and exposed; the plant blooms poorly.
The lack of flowering in pelargonium.
Can be caused by a warm winter, provided the plant is healthy.
The lower leaves turn yellow, and their edges dry out.
The reason is lack of moisture.
Due to lack of moisture, the edges of the lower leaves turn yellow and dry.
The lower leaves turn yellow, while they wither or rot.
The reason is an excess of moisture in the soil. Remove rotting leaves and sprinkle them with crushed charcoal. Watering should be done after two to three days, after the top layer of the substrate has dried.
The blackening of the stem at the base indicates a black leg disease that destroys the plant. Cut off the healthy part and root it. In the future, observe the watering regime. If the plant is severely damaged by the disease, then it can no longer be saved by the plant and the earth is thrown away. The pot after the diseased plant should be well disinfected.
Due to waterlogging of the soil, small swellings on the leaves may occur - watery soft pads (edema). Follow the watering schedule.
Due to waterlogging of the soil on the plant, gray rot may occur.
Materials used in the article:
Saakov S.G. Greenhouse and indoor plants and care for them. - L.: Nauka, 1985. - 621 p.
Indoor floriculture / R. Milevskaya, Yu. Vies. - Minsk: Book House, 2005. - 608s., ill.
Cacti and other succulents: a Handbook / D. Beff; Per. from Italian. I.V. Artyushina; Phot. K. Dani. - M .: AST Publishing House LLC: Astrel Publishing House LLC, 2003. -335, c .: ill.
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Pelargonium, or Geranium (Pelargonium), she is kalachik- a genus of beautiful flowering plants of the family Geraniaceae (Geraniaceae).
the most popular plant, both among indoor and among garden and park crops. It looks great on the windowsill in the apartment and office, in balcony drawers, in flower beds and on lawns, in gardens and cottages.
The word "pelargonium" comes from the Greek "pelargos" - stork, because the fruits of geraniums look like a stork's beak.
Geranium was brought to Europe in the 17th century from the Cape Colony. At first, it was considered an aristocratic plant, it was bred in the greenhouses of rich mansions and suburban villas. Now it flaunts in every home, because geranium is unpretentious, stable, and long-lived.
Types of pelargonium
The plant is native to South and Southwest Africa.
Succulents, forked-branched, shrubs, with creeping shoots up to 1.5 cm thick. Leaves are pinnately lobed, 5-8 cm long, slightly pubescent or smooth, glaucous. Flowers 4-6 collected in umbrellas, white, with red spots of the throat, pedicels 1-2.5 cm long. It grows well in moderately warm rooms. Propagated by cuttings and seeds.
.
Homeland - South Africa.
Bushy plant 30-70 cm high, with stems branched at the base, erect or decumbent, consisting of three- or four-sided segments 6-8 mm wide of different colors (from light green to green-gray). The leaves are alternate, on long petioles, slightly pubescent, 2-5 cm wide, usually dry up and fall off in winter. The leaf blade is heart-shaped with a red-brown border. In spring and summer, flowers appear on the plant, resembling a butterfly in shape, in color from white-cream to pale pink, with three large upper petals and two small lower ones. It grows well in a lighted and ventilated room with a temperature of at least 10 ° C. Watering in the spring-summer period requires plentiful, in the autumn-winter - limited. The soil is nutritious with good drainage. Propagated in spring-summer, cuttings from the central part of the stems, rooted in a sandy dry substrate.
Geranium angular (Pelargonium angulosum). It is found in the southwestern part of the Cape Province (South Africa).
Grows up to 1 m tall. The leaves are oval, three- or five-angular-lobed, broadly cuneate at the base, pointed. Short petiole. Inflorescence a multi-flowered umbel. The flowers are bright red. Blooms in August-October.
It lives on wet soils, on coastal dunes in the Cape Province (South Africa). Evergreens, shrubs 0.5-0.6 m tall, densely pubescent. Shoots straight, widely spread. The leaves are three- or five-lobed, serrated. Stipules broadly heart-shaped, dense. Inflorescence a multi-flowered umbel. Flowers sessile, purple-pink. Blooms in July-August. The leaves have a pleasant aroma. An essential oil is extracted from them, reminiscent of the smell of rose oil. It is a house plant.
It grows in the southwestern part of the Cape Province (South Africa).
Evergreens, shrubs 0.3-0.6 m tall, strongly branched. The leaves are arranged in two rows, small, almost heart-shaped, three-lobed, curly at the edges, unevenly serrated, hard, with a pleasant aroma of lemon. Flowers collected in 2-3, on short stalks. Blooms in July-August. It is a house plant.
The plant is native to the Cape Province (South Africa).
Highly branched shrubs, shoots densely pubescent. The leaves are kidney-shaped, also densely pubescent. Umbrellas are multicolored. Flowers purple-red. Blooms in August-September.
geranium grandiflora, or Royal (Pelargonium grandiflorum). The homeland of the plant is Southwest Africa, the Cape Province (South Africa).
Evergreens, branched shrubs up to 90 cm tall. Leaves are kidney-shaped, rounded, more or less five-seven-lobed or dissected, glabrous or slightly silky-hairy, coarsely toothed at the edges. Stipules free, ovate. Peduncle with 2-3 flowers. Flowers 2.5-3.5 cm in diameter, white, with reddish veins. Blooms in April-June.
It grows in the southern and southwestern parts of the Cape Province (South Africa).
Shrubs strongly branched, up to 1 m tall, with short glandular hairs. The leaves are five-seven-lobed, the lobes are deeply notched and pubescent on both sides, with a pleasant strong aroma. Flowers, collected in multi-flowered umbrellas, pink and dark pink. Blooms profusely in summer.
The homeland of the plant is Natal (South Africa).
Shrubs up to 1.5 m tall. Young shoots are fleshy, pubescent. Leaves are rounded kidney-shaped, glandular-pubescent. Stipules broadly heart-shaped. The flowers are collected in umbrellas, on short pedicels, scarlet-red. It blooms from May to autumn, and sometimes in winter.
The homeland of the plant is the Cape Province (South Africa).
Shrubs with a short trunk, 15-22 cm tall, branched. The branches are short, grassy, the crown is rounded. The leaves are heart-shaped-round, 2.5-5 cm wide, blunt-toothed at the edges, soft silky pubescent, have a strong pleasant aroma. Stipules are triangular and small. Flowers 5-10 collected in umbrellas. Colors from white to pink. Blooms in summer.
Homeland - Southeast Africa.
Shrubs. Branches branched, drooping, glabrous or with fine hairs, slightly ribbed. Leaves are shield-shaped, 7-10 cm wide, five-lobed, entire, glossy green, glabrous, sometimes finely pubescent, fleshy. Flowers 5-8 are collected in umbrellas, pink-red or white. Blooms from spring to autumn.
Grows on mountain slopes, along river banks on sandy soils in the southern and southwestern parts of the Cape Province (South Africa).
Branched shrubs, up to 1.5 m tall, with stiff short hairs. The leaves are deeply divided. The lobes are linear, densely covered with stiff hairs above and softer hairs below, with curved edges and a strong pleasant aroma. Inflorescence of 4-5 small flowers. Peduncle densely pubescent. The flowers are pale purple, with dark veins. Blooms in summer.
Occurs in shrubby semi-savannah in the southeastern and southern parts of the Cape Province (South Africa).
Evergreen shrubs 0.8-1.5 m tall; shoots fleshy, pubescent. The leaves are heart-shaped, rounded, entire or slightly lobed, glabrous or soft-haired, with a brown or dark brown stripe above. Stipules wide, oblong-heart-shaped. The inflorescence is multi-flowered. Flowers sessile, red. Blooms continuously from May to October.
Pelargonium Care
Temperature. In summer - indoor, and in winter, pelargoniums are kept at a temperature of 8-12 ° C. The winter period and the period until April are decisive for subsequent flowering, since the laying of flower buds occurs at a relatively low temperature (11-13 ° C) for 2.5-3 months. This period is characterized by a short day, which is also significant, since pelargoniums are short-day plants.
Lighting. Light-loving, well tolerate direct sunlight. It is best to keep them on the south window near the glass. Plants tolerate both northern and eastern windows, however, with a lack of light, they stretch out in winter. In winter, pelargonium can be illuminated with fluorescent lamps.
Air humidity and watering. The room with pelargonium must be constantly ventilated. In summer, plants are recommended to be placed outdoors. When taking them out into the open air, they should not be knocked out of the pots to dig into the ground, but it is better to bury them in the ground along with the pot so that they do not grow too violently to the detriment of flowering. In September-October, when frost approaches, the plants are transferred indoors.
Watering is moderate, do not like waterlogging. Watering should be done after two to three days, after the top layer of the substrate has dried. In winter, the plants are watered very moderately to restrain growth during the winter lack of light and prevent them from stretching. In addition, waterlogging of plants in winter with a cool content often leads to wilting of leaves and rotting of the root neck and roots.
Pelargonium does not require constant spraying, but on hot summer days periodic spraying of the plant will be useful.
Fertilizer. 2-3 months after transplantation, it is necessary to feed with superphosphate, which stimulates flowering. Plants do not tolerate fresh organic fertilizers well.
Transfer. Every year in March, young plants are transplanted into a fresh soil mixture. At the same time, they are pruned, leaving 2-5 buds on each shoot, in order to subsequently obtain low and lush, profusely flowering specimens. Overgrown pelargoniums are transplanted only if necessary (for example: when the pot becomes cramped).
The soil. The substrate is neutral, light, well permeable to air and water. May consist of equal parts of soddy, leafy soil, peat, humus and sand with a small addition of charcoal. Good drainage is a must.
Reproduction. Pelargonium is propagated most often by apical cuttings with 3-5 leaves, in spring (February-March) and summer (July-August). The cuttings are cut from the apical and lateral shoots with 3-4 nodes, making a cut obliquely under the bud. The cut cuttings are slightly dried for several hours, the slices are dipped in charcoal powder (one crushed tablet of heteroauxin is mixed into 100-150 g of powder), and then planted in a pot or bowl, placing them along the edge of the dish.
To form a lush bush, pinch the apical bud. The planted cuttings are exposed to a well-lit place (without direct sunlight) and at first (before rooting) they are moistened carefully, only by spraying. Cuttings take root in 2-3 weeks.
Rooted cuttings are planted in pots one at a time, without pruning, so that they bloom more quickly. The smaller the pot, the more abundant the flowering will be. Plants grown from cuttings cut in August bloom as early as April, and during spring cuttings, flowering occurs only in mid-summer.
It can also be propagated by seeds. When propagated by seeds, the splitting of parental traits is obtained, therefore sowing by seeds is used for breeding purposes.
Seeds are sown in spring in boxes or in bowls in a substrate composed of sod, peat soil and sand in equal volumes. At a temperature of 20-22°C shoots appear after 12 days. Seedlings are sown in 5 cm pots, and when weaving a coma of earth, a transshipment of 9 cm is given. Seedlings bloom in a year, but most often after 14 months.
Attention! All parts of plants of some species of pelargonium are slightly poisonous - they can cause contact dermatitis.
Possible difficulties
Due to lack of light lower leaves may fall, the stem is stretched and exposed. The plant blooms poorly.
No flowering can be caused by a warm winter, provided the plant is healthy.
When the lower leaves turn yellow and their edges dry out, the reason for this is the lack of moisture.
Lower leaves turning yellow, while they wither or rot - the reason is an excess of moisture in the soil. Remove rotting leaves and sprinkle them with crushed charcoal. Watering should be done after 2-3 days, after the top layer of the substrate has dried.
Stem blackening at the base indicates a black leg disease that destroys the plant. Cut off the healthy part and root it. In the future, observe the watering regime. If the plant is severely damaged by the disease, then it can no longer be saved by the plant and the earth is thrown away. The pot after the diseased plant should be well disinfected.
Due to waterlogging of the soil, there may be small swellings on the leaves- watery soft pads (edema). Follow the watering schedule.
Due to waterlogging of the soil on the plant, gray rot.
Useful properties of geranium
The beneficial properties of geraniums have been proven by scientists in such experiments:
- drops of liquid with millions of staphylococcus bacteria were applied to the surface of the leaves. After three hours, most of the bacteria were dead. Research began to deepen.
- put the geranium in the box. Plates were placed at a distance of 0.5 cm from the leaves, on which there were drops of liquid with microbes. The environment for microbes was created nutritious. After six hours of neighborhood with geraniums, all microbes were killed. It turned out that geranium releases bactericidal substances into the air that are harmful to microbes.
Geranium leaves and roots are used for medicinal purposes. Of the chemicals present in the plant, especially gallic acid, gum, starch, pectin, sugar and tannins can be distinguished. Geranium preparations have an astringent effect, prevent the secretion of fluids, and when taken orally, slow down the absorption of iron and other minerals. In addition, they are used in the form of gargles of the mouth and throat in the treatment of pharyngitis, increase blood clotting, have an astringent effect, reduce nosebleeds, treat gastric, intestinal bleeding and bleeding in the oral cavity. In the past, geraniums have been used for fractures and to treat cancer. Used as a remedy for diarrhea.
Geranium is useful for people suffering from neurasthenia, insomnia, hypertension, heart disease and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It has a particularly beneficial effect on the energy of patients with chronic gastritis with high acidity.
The presence of geranium indoors improves the condition of those suffering from diseases of the liver and gallbladder.
Geranium- a good antiseptic, anti-inflammatory agent.
After picking and kneading with your fingers, geranium leaves, you can put them in your ear with otitis media This will reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Traditional medicine suggests using fresh geranium leaves for compresses, making healing infusions and relieving pain. It is good to hold a geranium leaf behind your cheek. with toothache. Babies' teeth erupt easier and more painlessly if a geranium leaf is tied to their cheek from the outside.
You can also use geranium in the treatment of ear mites in animals, the tick disappears, as a rule, during the first procedure
Attention! In no case should geraniums be placed in the oral cavity in small children, only external exposure is possible.
Patients with radiculitis or osteochondrosis it is recommended to make compresses with crushed geranium leaves, applying them to sore spots all night. If you put a geranium leaf on the pulse on your wrists, blood pressure can normalize.
For cuts and wounds, to improve healing and disinfection, apply geranium leaves or flowers to the damaged area.
At the beginning of a cold with nasal congestion drip juice from the leaves and flowers of geranium three drops into the nostril. At night, wrap the big toes with geranium leaves in 3-4 layers, wrap them with a bandage and put on socks.
Place a plant with geranium next to the patient to inhale fumes (exclude drafts during the procedure)
Compress: for pain in the ears and chronic otitis, take 5-12 fresh geranium leaves, grind them into a pulp. Add 2-3 tbsp. spoons of oatmeal, rye, or buckwheat flour (you can just steamed bread or rolls), 1-2 tbsp. spoons of camphor alcohol, mix everything. Knead a stiff dough, roll it up and put it around the ear, drip 1-2 drops of geranium juice inside. Put compress paper, insulate with cotton wool and fix with a bandage for the night. Three or four procedures - and the disease will recede.
Infusion: Pour 20 g of fresh flowers or leaves of room geranium with a glass of boiling water, leave for 7-8 hours.
Infusion against diarrhea: 3 tbsp. pour spoons of gruel from fresh leaves and flowers with medical alcohol in the amount of 100 g. Infuse for three days in a dark and warm place in a well-closed container. Take 20 drops per tablespoon, adding water until it is full, in the morning on an empty stomach and in the evening before going to bed. If alcohol is contraindicated for patients, then you can be treated in this way: pour 2 teaspoons of freshly prepared gruel or leaves and flowers with a glass of cold boiled water. Insist in a dark place for eight hours. Take equal portions for 5-6 times.
To normalize blood pressure attach a geranium leaf to your wrist (where the pulse is) and tie it with a bandage for convenience so as not to hold the leaf with your hand.
pharmachologic effect
Diarrhea stops, blood pressure normalizes, the work of the heart and pancreas improves, the norm of glycogen in the liver is restored.
With paralysis of the facial nerve indoor geranium is used in compresses, applications, ingestion and as an oil for rubbing into affected muscles.
Infusion used with paralysis: 3 tablespoons of crushed fresh leaves pour 100 ml of alcohol. Infuse for three days in a dark place, take 20 drops in a spoonful of water, in the morning on an empty stomach and in the evening before going to bed.
Properties of geranium juice
With cataract it is impossible to restore an already dried-up lens of the eye; in this case, an operation with its replacement is necessary. But if you have only recently been diagnosed with a cataract, in order to stop its development, along with the medicines prescribed for you by an ophthalmologist, remember room geraniums.
Daily instillation of 1-2 drops of juice from its leaves and flowers in the corner of the eye help you maintain and improve your eyesight.
Geranium oil: Place 1 cup of crushed slurry of fresh leaves and flowers in a glass dish, pour in half a cup of undiluted medical alcohol, close the lid carefully. Glassware must be transparent. The infusion contained in it should occupy ½ of the volume. Expose the dishes in good sun for two weeks. Then open the lid and fill the bowl with olive or corn oil to the top. Close the lid and put it out in the sun again for another two weeks. Then drain the oil, wring out the raw material and discard. Store in well-closed bottles.
Attention! Before using the self-medication methods above, consult your doctor.
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Pelargonium- belongs to the geranium family. The birthplace of pelargoniums is South Africa, where there are about 350 natural varieties of plants of this family.
Pelargonium is a perennial herbaceous plant with straight or creeping stems. The leaves of the plant come in various shapes (depending on the variety) - whole, lobed and deeply dissected.
The aroma of pelargonium flowers and leaves is specific, slightly sharp, but with medicinal properties. In aromatherapy, geranium oil is used to relieve nervous tension, to restore strength and healthy sleep. In addition, the smell of this plant repels moths and mosquitoes.
indoor floriculture
The most widespread in culture are hybrids and varieties:
Large-flowered Pelargonium (Pelargonium grandiflorum)
Pelargonium grandiflora- semi-shrubs and shrubs, in which the shoots quickly become woody. The leaves are green, serrated at the edges, with a slight aroma. The flowers are very large (up to 5 cm), with dark specks on the petals, there are pink, red and white colors.
Pelargonium zonale (Pelargonium zonale)
Pelargonium zonal- a plant with straight stems, semi-lignified below. The leaves are light green, softly pubescent, with a brown border around the edges.
Zonal Pelargoniums are very hardy and are grown indoors, on balconies and outdoors, where they bloom from May to October. The plant can be formed in the form of a lush tree. The life span of zonal pelargonium reaches 20 years or more.
Pelargonium ivy (Pelargonium peltatum)
Pelargonium ivy- a plant with hanging or creeping shoots. The leaves are dense and shiny, reminiscent of ivy leaves in shape. The inflorescence consists of 8-15 flowers of medium size. With proper care, they can bloom all year round. Used to decorate balconies and as potted plants.
Pelargonium feels good in bright places, but can also grow in partial shade. The ideal option is to place the plant on a south window or balcony. For the summer, pelargonium can be taken out into the garden to a bright place or planted in open ground.
In spring and summer, the plant needs regular abundant watering and top dressing. Suitable complex mineral fertilizers for flowering plants, which must be applied once every 10-14 days. Spraying and washing the leaves does not require. In the summer, it is kept at room temperature.
In winter, geraniums need to provide peace. To do this, it must be kept cool (at a temperature of 8-12 ° C), it can be placed on the windowsill closer to the glass. Watering is reduced, fertilizing stops completely.
At the end of winter, pruning is useful, which will subsequently provide more lush flowering and make the bush compact.
Of the pests, pelargonium can be affected by whiteflies, mites (spider and cyclamen), aphids and weevil. Leaves affected by insects should be washed with green soap, especially carefully from the underside. From herbal preparations, you can use an infusion of garlic.
It is more difficult to deal with the whitefly, as it multiplies quickly. To combat it, it is necessary to regularly (every 6-7 days) wash off eggs and larvae from the leaves. If this does not help, then once every 3 days you need to treat the leaves with an aqueous solution of nicotine sulfate or Nurell-d.
Weevil larvae infect the roots of pelargonium. If the root system has not suffered much, then the plant can still be saved. It is necessary to water the soil with an insecticide solution (inta-vir, fufan, etc.), and also treat the leaves. Then you need to transplant the pelargonium into fresh soil.
Unfavorable conditions of detention (lack of light, excessive air humidity, excessive watering) can cause rotting of the roots and root neck of plants. With a lack of moisture in pelargoniums, the lower leaves turn yellow and fall off. The reason for the reddening of the edges of the leaves may be low temperature, so in frosty weather you need to move the pot with the plant away from the glass.
Rust can appear on geranium leaves, in which the leaves first become covered with yellow spots, then dry out. The affected leaves of the plant must be removed, as well as provide fresh air and reduce humidity.
When a plant becomes ill with a black leg, its stem darkens at the base. Sick geraniums must be destroyed. To prevent this disease, it is necessary to use sterilized soil and prevent its waterlogging.
Gray rot on pelargonium leaves appears with excessive watering. Infected leaves must be removed to prevent the spread of the disease.
To combat all fungal and bacterial diseases, the plant is treated with fungicides (topaz, fitosporin-M, etc.).
reproduction
Pelargonium is propagated by seeds and cuttings. Plants grown from seeds bloom more profusely than those propagated from cuttings. In addition, they get sick less. Sowing seeds for seedlings is carried out in January - February in a small bowl. Seeds must be spread on moistened ground, lightly sprinkled, then cover the pot with glass or film. Crops need regular watering, drying out of the soil is unacceptable, their frequent airing is desirable. It is necessary to maintain the temperature in the room within 20-24 °C. Seeds germinate in one or two weeks. When 2-4 leaves appear on young plants, the seedlings need to dive, and it is better to plant them at the same depth at which they grew before the dive. Plants are grown at a temperature of 16-18 ° C for 1.5-2 months, then they are transplanted into another dish. Young geraniums will bloom in mid-summer.
When pelargonium is propagated by cuttings, flowering will come even faster. Cuttings are cut in early spring or late summer. It must be borne in mind that they take root poorly at high temperatures (above 25 ° C). The tops of shoots 5-7 cm long are cut into cuttings, which are wrapped in the shade during the day. To prevent the cutting from rotting, its cut is dipped in crushed coal. Plant cuttings in light soil with a sand content of at least 1/3 part. After planting, it is necessary to water abundantly, then it should be watered less so that the cuttings do not rot. When the plant has roots, it is transplanted into a pot.
Pelargoniums require nutritious soil. You can take a mixture of garden soil, sand and peat in equal parts. The pot must have good drainage so that water does not stagnate in the roots of the plant. The soil in pots should be regularly loosened to ensure air access to the roots.
Pelargonium must be replanted every 1-2 years in early spring, the pot for these purposes should not be large, since the roots of the plant are small. The optimal diameter of a pot for a young geranium is from 12 to 14 cm, height is 15 cm. If you plant a plant in a larger container, many shoots and leaves will develop, and the buds may not start at all.
Video.
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Homeland of the geranium plant
Homeland of the geranium plant. When wondering what is the birthplace of the geranium flower, it is impossible not to recall its history. After all, only in it can you find the answer to this question. Having two names, and the middle name of this flower is pelargonium, it has a very interesting history. South Africa is considered its homeland, or rather the ancestor, which united Australia, India and South Africa.
Homeland of the geranium plant
Geranium is a name of ancient Greek origin, in translation it means "stork". Presumably, he received such a name due to some similarity with a bird with a long beak. And among different peoples, its names are similar, for example, among the Germans it became a “stork nose”, and the British call it “crane”.
Homeland of room geranium
In its current form, geranium was brought out by an English gardener - breeder George Tradescan. After all, initially samples of this flower were brought to England by sailors from India. The pinnacle of his creations among geraniums is the royal geranium. Having rid the king of insomnia with her soothing aroma, she became the king's favorite. And in our time, this feature of the aroma of geranium inflorescences is often used. By placing such a flower in your bedroom, you can get rid of insomnia.
Due to its appearance, the flower has gained immense popularity in England. The ladies-in-waiting decorated their hats and necklines, and the men placed it behind the cuff of the sleeve.
Geranium came to Russia, assisting Peter the Great in the treatment of an ingrown nail. Thanks to this, he received universal recognition by doctors, and then Russia's own recipes for its use appeared.
Naturally, having such a rich history, the flower could not help but be surrounded by myths and legends. Here, for example, is a legend that explains the Russian folk name for a flower - “crane”. It says that flocks of cranes have been nesting in the Vogul rocks for a long time. Once hunters shot a female crane. The crane, which had been circling for three days over the place of the death of his girlfriend, folded its wings and rushed like a stone onto the rocks. And soon, in the place where the lifeless body of the crane lay, fragrant flowers appeared, the fruits of which resembled crane beaks.
In Germany, the legend has a naturally Germanic connotation. The shoemaker, who loved to knock over more than one glass of schnapps, was returning home, imagining how he would now get from his wife. Suddenly he noticed a lovely flower under his feet. Picking up the plant, the shoemaker presented it to his wife as a gift. Inhaling the fragrance of the flower, the wife forgot how much she wanted to scold her husband. She put the flower in the water. A few days later he gave roots, and he was transplanted into a pot. From that time on, peace reigned in the house. The shoemaker stopped drinking, and naturally his wife no longer scolded him.
Thus, it is quite difficult to determine the homeland of geraniums. Being brought from South Africa in the wild, it was modified by English breeders to its current form. And already in this form pleases us with its appearance and aroma.
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What is the origin of the violet plant?
For those who identify lilac forest flowers with homemade violets, we want to say right away that these are completely different types of plants. The indoor variety is called "Saintpaulia" and is very different in its structure and properties. As already mentioned, the birthplace of Saintpaulia is East Africa. The history of its discovery can be called romantic and noble: back in 1892, one of the governors of the state, Adalbert von Saint-Pol, was walking with his bride at the foot of the Usambara Mountains, and noticed unfamiliar purple flowers between the stones. The young couple liked them, and the seeds of the future were sent to the governor's father, a collector and flower grower, and then registered and named after the discoverer. 
In Europe, the beauty of this flower was quickly appreciated, and after it was first presented at the international flower exhibition in Belgium, the violet instantly scattered across different countries. At the beginning of the next century, the seeds of this plant came to America, where they also gained popularity. Moreover, the inhabitants of the United States liked the new species so much that in one of the states a society of flower growers was organized, who were engaged in breeding a beautiful flower. Maybe because of this, today only in America several thousand species of this plant are officially registered.
To date, there are about 8 thousand species of flower in the world, and breeders continue to bring out new saintpaulias, delighting their fans.
At first, in mass breeding, the inflorescences had shades close to natural - lilac, purple, blue. But later, breeders managed to bring out the reddish-purple color of the houseplant, and then the fluffy double flowers. Later came pink, white, ruffled and edged inflorescences, yellowish flowers, and flowers with variegated foliage. 
Violet came to us only in the middle of the last century, and it was the simplest variety, with small purple flowers, since there was nowhere to take varieties of imported origin. But domestic experts were happy to start breeding Saintpaulia, and very soon the first society of violet lovers was created in Moscow.
Where does it grow
Each grower has his own ideal recipe for the composition of the soil for the growth of this amazing flower. Under natural conditions, Saintpaulia can be found on the slopes of the Uzamba Mountains. This plant loves when the composition of the soil is well moistened, and therefore prefers places near streams, rivers and waterfalls. Different species can be found in different places in Tanzania, unfortunately, you will not meet Saintpaulia in the domestic expanses "in the wild". 
For good growth and development of Saintpaulia, it is necessary that the composition of the soil be loose and air can circulate freely, allowing the roots to breathe. The composition of the soil is soddy land, leaf humus, sand and moss. The land from coniferous forests is also well absorbed, with a small proportion of leafy land. Of course, in order to achieve the ideal composition, you will have to experiment a little, but the final result is definitely worth it. Decorating your home with delicate violet inflorescences is a great solution for any interior.
Video "Reproduction of Saintpaulia"
On the recording, a well-known collector of Gesnerievs, Olga Artyomova, talks about how she propagates Saintpaulias at home.
Homeland of the geranium plant
Geraniums are popular not only among indoor plants, but also among park and garden crops, as they look perfect on window sills, flower beds, and lawns. These plants belong to the geranium family and can be found in the wild in forests, wetlands and clearings. But, despite the fact that everyone is familiar with geraniums, nevertheless, not everyone knows about the places of its origin, and its homeland is South Africa and India.
The second name of the plant is crail, but many believe that geranium is the same pelargonium. But in fact, such an opinion is a delusion, and although the difference between plants is insignificant, it still exists.
So, at the moment there are more than 400 species of geraniums that are scattered around the world, and they can be found both in the form of herbs and shrubs. On average, the height of the plant reaches 40-60cm. Its leaves have soft hairs and various cuts. And the flower itself has a 5-leaf outstretched calyx and the same number of rounded corolla petals. The color of the plant is white, blue, purple and purple.
As already mentioned, South Africa and India are considered the place of origin of geraniums, although there is an opinion that this information is not reliable. But then where did the geranium come from? There is one assumption that the plant is home to an ancient continent that once united Africa, Australia and India, but, unfortunately, it is no longer possible to find out this secret to the end.
Despite its secret, which only geranium knows. Many other mysterious events and legends are also associated with this flower. For example, one of them explains why geranium is sometimes called crail.
Once, when a female crane was shot by hunters, her "friend" could not bear such a loss. First, he circled over the place of her death for three days, and then suddenly he himself threw himself on the stones, folding his wings. After some time, flowers sprouted at the place of his death, outwardly resembling crane beaks. As you guessed, it was a geranium. Also, this plant is credited with the magical power to fill the house with positive energy, comfort and kindness. And it has already been noted that if there is a geranium in the apartment, then as a rule, serious quarrels and scandals will no longer occur in your family.
Geranium: the birthplace of the plant
Geranium is known to us as an unpretentious indoor plant that pleases with bright numerous flowers from spring to the very snow. Not everyone knows that there is another type of geranium that grows quietly in the open field. The frost-resistant "sister" can be found in the garden, in the forest or in the swamp. Botanists divided them into two varieties, one of which is called "geranium", and the other was given the name "pelargonium". It was she who became the pet of almost everyone who breeds flowers. Both genera belong to the same geranium family and have the same origin.
The geranium plant is native to South Africa. In different parts of the Republic of South Africa, several varieties of climate coexist: Mediterranean, tropical, subtropical and temperate. As a result, the flora turned out to be very diverse and colorful. Unusual representatives of the plant world have been transported from here ever since the 16th century. merchant ships of the Old World began to moor to the shores of Africa.
Navigators often stopped at the Cape of Good Hope during long journeys. At that time, Europeans were interested not only in the culture of the local population and trade with them, but also in the flora and fauna of the mainland. Naturalists immediately noticed the bright and varied flowers growing freely under their feet, and took their specimens home for further breeding. Among the plants was geranium. Breeders became interested in an unusual and beautiful flower and began to actively engage in its adaptation to new living conditions. Gradually, it spread throughout the world, perfectly adapting to the climate in which it found itself. Therefore, today it is so unusual for us to hear that the homeland of the geranium plant was a hot country.
The first mention of geranium appeared in Europe around the 17th century. In Russia, it appeared at the beginning of the 18th century, and in the 19th century. became a houseplant in every aristocratic home. Some types of geraniums remained "wild", grew in forests, meadows, swamps, calmly enduring harsh climatic conditions. Others "turned" into indoor thermophilic beauties. So a species of domestic geranium stood out, which was called pelargonium. Over time, he became completely different from the meadow "sister". Today, these two flowers are very different from each other, despite the common ancestry.
Breeders have bred many varieties of geraniums. They differ in color and shape of flowers. There are about 400 species of this plant on earth. In nature, it can be found in New Zealand, Turkey, Madagascar, other species grow in Russia.
Currently, many varieties of geraniums can be seen in the homeland of the plant, in Africa. There it looks like our usual indoor pelargonium.
We will tell you more about it in more detail. Home pelargonium is divided into two main types:
- bush (these are lush, low plants);
- ampelous (ivy-leaved pelargonium with long shoots creeping like a vine).
Among the bush pelargoniums there are flowering varieties with bright lush inflorescences and fragrant ones, which are valued for their fragrant leaves.
Bush geraniums are the most popular among flower growers:
- zonal (with a border along the edge of the flower);
- royal (with large flowers).
Geranium Care
The geranium plant is native to South Africa. Many indoor crops, such as chlorophytums, clivias, sanseviers and others, originated from there. Being heat-loving and light-loving, once in Europe, and then in Russia, they could only survive at home.
For several centuries, geraniums have adapted well to our changing climate, but just like their southern relatives, they love the sun and warmth. Therefore, deciding to breed this flower, find the brightest place in the apartment for it. Windows should face south or southwest.
In the summer, you can decorate a balcony or veranda with pelargonium. This plant loves the direct rays of the sun and will delight you with a large number of flowers. In extreme heat, it is advisable to cover it a little.
Temperature regime
Indoor geranium grows well at 20 - 25 ° volume, in winter it is better to place it in a cooler place. She will feel great at 10 - 15°.
Pelargonium loves moisture, although it should not be poured. The optimal frequency of watering is once every two days. For favorable growth, the flower needs drainage from expanded clay or pebbles. It will absorb excess moisture, which means that the roots of the plant will not rot and will not get sick.
In winter, geraniums are almost not watered, at this time she "sleeps" until spring.
Do I need to repot geraniums
This plant does not like to be disturbed in vain, so transplanting can only be puzzled when roots are breaking through from the drainage hole. Land for planting can be used ordinary garden. Do not let the geraniums grow high, in this case the number of flowers will be reduced. It needs to be cut periodically, then the bushes will be lush, and many inflorescences will appear on them.
If all these conditions are met, your geranium will bloom from spring until late autumn. Propagating the plant at home is very simple: just cut off a small twig with a few leaves from the top in the spring and put it in a glass of water. When the roots appear, it can be planted in a small pot.
The benefits of geranium
Centuries ago, people discovered that geraniums have medicinal properties. With the help of a compress, abscesses were removed from its leaves and wounds healed. It turned out that it has an anti-inflammatory and regenerating effect.
It was for the treatment of patients that geranium was used in her homeland. She disinfected wounds and protected from infection. Very often it was used as a folk remedy for colds and headaches.
It has been noticed that fragrant geranium is able to calm the nervous system and improve a person's mood. No wonder this flower was grown in almost every home. It was believed that this plant brings peace and prosperity to the family. Pelargonium was cherished not only as a decoration of the house, but also as a talisman.
Homeland of the geranium plant and popular types of flower
This beautiful and useful flower, which came to our country from Europe back in the 17th century, very quickly gained unprecedented popularity. However, the birthplace of the geranium plant is hot South Africa and India smelling of spices. Most botanists agree that this flower was distributed even on the ancient supercontinent Gondwana, which united India, Australia and Africa.
It wasn't until the late 16th century that geranium was brought to Britain from South Africa. It should be noted that it was at this time that Europe became the center of selection and cultivation of rare species of edible and ornamental plants. This was facilitated by the development of new exotic lands in Africa and India by English and Spanish sailors. The birthplace of geraniums, the varieties of which we know and grow today, is Great Britain. In those distant times it was popular to bring interesting representatives of flora and fauna to expand the catalogs of royal gardens and menageries, as well as to satisfy the needs of wealthy breeders.
The huge Geranium family includes two genera of plants. The first representative is pelargonium, which can be found on the windowsills of many in our country. The second genus is the geranium itself. This flower is suitable both for growing at home and for planting in the front garden in open ground. Many novice and experienced flower growers often confuse pelargonium and geranium: the birthplace of the plant, their appearance and conditions of maintenance are almost identical, but still not the same. The first genus has about 280 species, and the second - more than 430, but every year new representatives of this homely beauty appear thanks to the tireless work of breeders from all over the world. To distinguish one plant from another, you need to carefully study the flowers: in geraniums they will be radially symmetrical, collected in small semi-umbels and almost regular in shape. But the inflorescences of pelargonium have bilaterally symmetrical zygomorphic flowers.
Popular types
The homeland of the geranium plant is India, the most popular varieties come from there. It is also found in Africa. Let us dwell in more detail on several common plant species that are the most beautiful representatives of this family.
Geranium quadrangular - a bush 30-70 cm high. Flowers appear in spring and summer (depending on the planting date) and outwardly resemble a butterfly. South Africa is the birthplace of the quadrangular geranium plant. The color of flowers can be from pale cream to light pink. The plant prefers well-lit window sills and temperatures not lower than +10 o C. In spring and summer, geraniums are watered abundantly, and the cool season is moderate. As a soil, nutritious soil with high-quality drainage is suitable.
Geranium curly is an excellent variety for growing at home. This shrub reaches a height of 30-60 cm and has a very branched leaf system. The homeland of the curly geranium plant is South Africa (Cape Province). The flowers have a bright color from pink to deep purple, and rather short legs. The first buds appear in July, and the complete wilting and maturation of microseeds occurs at the end of August. 
Any selected variety of pelargonium or geranium requires fertile soil, high-quality watering and a bright, well-ventilated place in the house or on the site. Despite the resistance of the plant to various diseases, rotting of the roots should not be allowed.
This beautiful and useful flower, which came to our country from Europe back in the 17th century, very quickly gained unprecedented popularity. However, the birthplace of the geranium plant is hot South Africa and India smelling of spices. Most botanists agree that this flower was distributed even on the ancient supercontinent Gondwana, which united India, Australia and Africa.
It wasn't until the late 16th century that geranium was brought to Britain from South Africa. It should be noted that it was at this time that Europe became the center of selection and cultivation of rare species of edible and ornamental plants. This was facilitated by the development of new exotic lands in Africa and India by English and Spanish sailors. The birthplace of geraniums, the varieties of which we know and grow today, is Great Britain. In those distant times it was popular to bring interesting representatives of flora and fauna to expand the catalogs of royal gardens and menageries, as well as to satisfy the needs of wealthy breeders.
The huge Geranium family includes two genera of plants. The first representative is pelargonium, which can be found on the windowsills of many in our country. The second genus is the geranium itself. This flower is suitable both for growing at home and for planting in the front garden in open ground. Many novice and experienced flower growers often confuse pelargonium and geranium: the birthplace of the plant, their appearance and conditions of maintenance are almost identical, but still not the same. The first genus has about 280 species, and the second - more than 430, but every year new representatives of this homely beauty appear thanks to the tireless work of breeders from all over the world. To distinguish one plant from another, you need to carefully study the flowers: in geraniums they will be radially symmetrical, collected in small semi-umbels and almost regular in shape. But the inflorescences of pelargonium have bilaterally symmetrical zygomorphic flowers.
Popular types
The homeland of the geranium plant is India, the most popular varieties come from there. It is also found in Africa. Let us dwell in more detail on several common plant species that are the most beautiful representatives of this family.
Geranium quadrangular - a bush 30-70 cm high. Flowers appear in spring and summer (depending on the planting date) and outwardly resemble a butterfly. South Africa is the birthplace of the quadrangular geranium plant. The color of flowers can be from pale cream to light pink. The plant prefers well-lit window sills and temperatures not lower than +10 o C. In spring and summer, geraniums are watered abundantly, and the cool season is moderate. As a soil, nutritious soil with high-quality drainage is suitable.
Geranium curly is an excellent variety for growing at home. This shrub reaches a height of 30-60 cm and has a very branched leaf system. The homeland of the curly geranium plant is South Africa (Cape Province). The flowers have a bright color from pink to deep purple, and rather short legs. The first buds appear in July, and the complete wilting and maturation of microseeds occurs at the end of August.
Any selected variety of pelargonium or geranium requires fertile soil, high-quality watering and a bright, well-ventilated place in the house or on the site. Despite the resistance of the plant to various diseases, rotting of the roots should not be allowed.
The most beautiful types of room geraniums
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- Flowering, characterized by beautiful flowers.
- Fragrant, with inconspicuous flowers and fragrant leaves.
- The most common is zonal geranium (bordered, kalachik). It has 70 thousand varieties. The leaves are entire, with dark concentric circles of varying intensity. The stem is erect, with improper formation it grows up to 1 m in height. The flowers are bright, pink or white, simple, semi-double or double in shape.
- Ivy differs from the zonal shape of the stem. Long lashes, decorated with smooth leaves, hang down. The flower is set in hanging flowerpots.
- Royal grows up to half a meter. The leaves are plain or with stripes, dark spots. The flowers are large, simple or double in shape, monophonic, of various colors, with colored spots, veins, borders. Another name is English grandiflora.
- Fragrant geranium can have smells of lemon, pine needles, lemon balm, ginger, pineapple and other plants. The Strong-smelling variety has the aroma of a rose, the Fragrant - an apple. Some scents are not very pleasant. Flowers inconspicuous, pink or purple. The bush needs to be pinched regularly so that it has a beautiful shape. It is used to make aromatic oils.
- Geranium Angel with flowers similar to viola. The bush is ampelous, the lashes are shorter than those of the ivy, covered with inflorescences with a large number of flowers.
- Rosaceous with rose-like flowers.
- Cactus-shaped with petals twisted in the shape of a cone.
- Star-shaped with pointed petals.
- A group of carnations stands out with petals serrated along the edges.
- Succulents are a special kind of geranium. The stems of plants are intricately curved. Some varieties have thorns.
- Seeds, but this method does not always guarantee the repetition of the maternal properties of hybrids.
- cuttings.
- Too low temperature. Optimum from 15 to 20 degrees. If it is below 10°C, the plant disappears.
- Excess moisture and poor drainage in the pot. This is manifested by yellowing and wilting of the leaves. The root system rots and the plant dies.
- The lack of moisture is manifested by the fact that the leaves turn yellow and dry around the edges.
- With insufficient light, the leaves grow small, with long petioles, some of them fall off. The plant stretches up, has a pale appearance. It is better to install a flower on the southern windows. Cover from the sun only on very hot days.
- Geranium needs constant bush formation. In order for it to be branchy, pinch the shoots. If you do not plan to collect geranium seeds, brushes are removed after flowering. This will improve the appearance of the plant and allow other buds to develop faster.
- The size of the pot matters. If the dishes are too wide, the plant will bloom poorly.
- Geraniums are transplanted when the roots of the plant begin to break through the drainage holes. If not transplanted in time, the leaves will begin to turn yellow and fall off.
- The main thing for caring for geraniums is not to fill it with water. It tolerates excess moisture much worse than drought. Room geranium leaves are not sprayed with water. Drops of moisture can remain between the villi, creating conditions for the development of fungal diseases.
- Geranium easily tolerates high temperatures.
- Sometimes, with insufficient lighting in the room, geraniums are illuminated with fluorescent garden lamps. This leads to the active formation of buds.
- Fertilizers are applied throughout the growing season. A good result is the use of liquid top dressing. Geranium reacts positively to iodine. A drop of iodine is dissolved in a liter of water. Mix thoroughly and water the plant. This must be done so that the solution does not get on the roots. Therefore, pour it on the walls of the dishes. The plant after such top dressing will actively bloom. You can use any mineral complex fertilizers with phosphorus. Organic do not contribute.
- The dried soil is periodically loosened to provide air access to the roots. Use an old fork or wooden stick for this.
- Geranium care includes pest control. Aphids and ticks are destroyed by treating the lower part of the leaves with an infusion of tobacco with laundry soap. Wash off with clean water after a few hours. Fighting the whitefly is more difficult. It is more expedient to immediately start using insecticides such as "Confidor".
- If brown spots form on geranium leaves, this is a sign of a fungal disease - rust. To combat it, they spray it with Fitosporin. Increased soil moisture causes damage to root rot, the ingress of water drops during irrigation - gray rot.
- Phytoncides secreted by the leaves are able to kill microorganisms that lead to various diseases. Therefore, an infusion of leaves and a decoction of roots are used to treat purulent wounds, diseases of the throat, and the gastrointestinal tract. Some types of geraniums have additional healing properties.
- The smell of geranium has a tonic and calming effect on the human nervous system. It helps to relieve tension after a working day, improves sleep. Therefore, oils with various aromas are made from the leaves.
- Geranium is especially useful for patients with cardiovascular diseases. Its aroma improves the condition of patients with sinus arrhythmia, ischemic disease, and normalizes blood circulation in the vessels.
- yellowing and falling of the lower leaves. Reason: lack of lighting, improper watering. Lack of sunlight provokes blanching of the leaves. Drought causes the tips of the leaves to dry out, and excessive moisture causes them to rot. If this happens, the conditions of detention are corrected: the plant is illuminated or watered;
- reddening of the border of the leaves. Reason: cold. Solution: moving to a warmer room;
- lack of flowering. Reason: insufficient lighting or low temperature readings. Solution: adjustment of conditions of detention;
- damage by diseases (gray rot, root rot) or exposure to pests: nematodes, aphids, whiteflies and mites. In order to avoid the development of diseases, it is necessary to ensure the correct conditions of detention.
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Geranium room
Geranium room: description
Types of room geranium
reproduction
Growing conditions
houseplant care
flower use
Indoor geranium has about 300 species. Homeland - South Africa. Indoor geranium combines all plants of the species grown at home. These include the African geranium, called Pelargonium.
Geranium room: description
All room geraniums can be divided into two groups:
The geranium root is often branched, in some species it is taproot. The stem can be erect or creeping (in ampelous plants). The leaves are dissected or in the form of a blade, less often pinnate, covered with small fine hairs. The coloring can be monophonic, zonal, colors - green of different intensity, with a grayish, red or blue tint. All of them have long petioles.
Flowers are collected in inflorescences of the brush, each of them consists of 5 or more rounded petals of red, pink, purple, white. In some varieties, they are marked with bright contrasting spots.
Geranium blooms almost all year round.
To do this, she needs to provide enough light and nutrients. Fruit-boxes are formed from flowers. To many, they resemble the shape of a crane's beak. The plant owes this similarity to several folk names that have taken root in different countries: “crane”, “stork nose”. Inside the fruit are quite large seeds.
Types of room geranium
The most popular and beautiful types of room geraniums:
Unicum hybrids have strongly dissected, very fragrant leaves. The flowers are large and beautiful, but smaller than those of the Royal. Miniature and dwarf do not require pruning. Bloom profusely.
According to the shape of the flower, several groups of zonal geraniums can be distinguished:
reproduction
Indoor geranium is propagated:
Seeds are sown in soil prepared from equal parts of peat, sand and a double portion of soddy soil. The main part of the soil mixture is placed in a bowl, at the bottom of which there is a layer of drainage. The seeds are sown on the surface at a distance of 2 cm from each other, then the remaining earth is covered with a thin layer. Moisturize with a spray bottle.
Cover the dishes with glass or film, set in heat (temperature about 20 ° C). Every day they ventilate, removing the glass and shaking off the drops from it. When the first seeds germinate, remove the shelter, lower the temperature (can be installed on the windowsill, where it is lower than in the rest of the room).
The next 2 months, the seedlings are watered, waiting until it has 2 true leaves. The plants are planted in separate pots of small diameter. To get a beautifully shaped plant, pinch the top after 6 leaves. When sowing seeds collected with one's own hand, they are first scarified. To do this, you can grind them with sandpaper.
You can propagate geraniums with cuttings almost all year round, but in spring the roots form on them more actively.
They take a stalk, keep it in the air for several hours to graft. Planted in a container with loose earth or coarse sand. They don't cover. When the cutting takes root, it can be transplanted into another pot.
More often, cuttings are rooted in a different way. Cut off the lower leaves, place the cutting in a glass of water and wait until the roots form. Then planted in a pot.
The soil for growing room geraniums is not very fertile. Otherwise, the plant will have many leaves, but few flowers. A geranium pot should have enough holes to drain excess moisture. A layer of drainage is laid on the bottom of the dishes: expanded clay, pebbles, polystyrene.
Water as the soil dries out. In winter, in a cool room, watering is carried out a couple of times a month. If the plant is in a warm room, moisten more often. Plants that were planted in open ground are hidden in the house at the beginning of autumn. They don't take transplant well. The root system is not able to hold a large amount of soil, so the roots are exposed.
To make the geranium easier to transplant, the branches are cut, limiting their height.
Cut tops can be used for propagation. For the winter, a stem is left on which no more than 7 leaves grow. Remove shoots growing from the leaf axils. Leave those that grow from the root. Break off the shoots after every 5 leaves. Geraniums are not pruned in December and early January. Anti-aging pruning is carried out, leaving 5 buds per shoot.
Growing conditions
Geranium is an unpretentious plant. But often she dies due to care errors. Usually this:
houseplant care
Heroine Care Tips:
flower use
Geranium is used for landscaping an apartment. But in the spring, when the threat of return frosts has passed, it is better to plant it in a flower bed. All summer it will delight with lush flowering.
Geranium leaves are used in salads or for baking. Used as a condiment. This largely depends on the variety of geranium and the personal preferences of the owner. Geranium leaves are used to scent clothes in wardrobes.
Application in medicine:
More information can be found in the video:
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Homeland of the geranium plant
Geraniums are popular not only among indoor plants, but also among park and garden crops, as they look perfect on window sills, flower beds, and lawns. These plants belong to the geranium family and can be found in the wild in forests, wetlands and clearings. But, despite the fact that everyone is familiar with geraniums, nevertheless, not everyone knows about the places of its origin, and its homeland is South Africa and India.
The second name of the plant is crail, but many believe that geranium is the same pelargonium. But in fact, such an opinion is a delusion, and although the difference between plants is insignificant, it still exists.
So, at the moment there are more than 400 species of geraniums that are scattered around the world, and they can be found both in the form of herbs and shrubs. On average, the height of the plant reaches 40-60cm. Its leaves have soft hairs and various cuts. And the flower itself has a 5-leaf outstretched calyx and the same number of rounded corolla petals. The color of the plant is white, blue, purple and purple.
As already mentioned, South Africa and India are considered the place of origin of geraniums, although there is an opinion that this information is not reliable. But then where did the geranium come from? There is one assumption that the plant is home to an ancient continent that once united Africa, Australia and India, but, unfortunately, it is no longer possible to find out this secret to the end.
Despite its secret, which only geranium knows. Many other mysterious events and legends are also associated with this flower. For example, one of them explains why geranium is sometimes called crail.
Once, when a female crane was shot by hunters, her "friend" could not bear such a loss. First, he circled over the place of her death for three days, and then suddenly he himself threw himself on the stones, folding his wings. After some time, flowers sprouted at the place of his death, outwardly resembling crane beaks. As you guessed, it was a geranium. Also, this plant is credited with the magical power to fill the house with positive energy, comfort and kindness. And it has already been noted that if there is a geranium in the apartment, then as a rule, serious quarrels and scandals will no longer occur in your family.
The birthplace of the geranium or pelargonium plant and where it comes from
Geranium is considered the most popular and famous plant in indoor floriculture. Beginning lovers appreciate it for its unpretentiousness and ease of reproduction. There are a huge number of different varieties. Geranium is an annual or perennial, reaching a height of fifty centimeters. The highlight of the plant are the leaves of a rich green hue, reminiscent of the color of young grass, and large bright flowers collected in inflorescences. The leaves emit a pleasant aroma of lemon and mint. In this article we will talk about the birthplace of the plant, find out its scientific name and differences from another species - pelargonium.
The history of origin and homeland of a houseplant
Where are you from?
First, let's figure out where this home plant comes from. Found wild in New Zealand, Australia, California and Madagascar. The plant is native to India and South Africa. It was from these parts that the plant came to European countries. Once, sailors who ended up in South Africa were interested in an interesting plant with bright inflorescences. The British brought the plant to the UK, where breeders began to develop new varieties.
She began to decorate houses and gardens as soon as she got to Europe. Basically, this plant could be seen in the dwellings of nobles. The ladies of those times took a fancy to the beauty and decorated their toilets with her, decorating the headdresses and decollete of luxurious dresses.
geranium bloom
When did you get to Russia?
It arrived in Russia in the eighteenth - nineteenth century and immediately gained wide popularity among the aristocrats. They began to decorate their luxurious houses with an unusual flower. Some species were never tamed by man, they spread in the wild, settling in meadows, swampy areas, in forest areas, staunchly fighting against unfavorable weather conditions for them.
Problems in growing a flower
Useful properties of geranium
It not only decorates the apartment, but also has many useful properties. It contains flavonoids, essential oils, tannins, carotene, starch, fructose, pectin, manganese, iron and other substances. The properties of miraculous geraniums were interested in even in ancient times, it attracted the attention of healers, sorcerers and priests. With its help, they fought evil and protected pregnant women.
Geranium flower bed
It was used to eliminate headaches, stress and pain in the spine. It is able to fight bacteria and viruses, stop blood, relieve pain and swelling, heal wounds, and have a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract and heart.
With a runny nose, juice from the leaves is instilled into the nose, when coughing, they drink an infusion of the leaves and gargle. Ear diseases are treated by laying a fresh leaf in the ear canal. There are a large number of recipes for its use for medicinal purposes.
Signs and beliefs
Geranium is able to have a positive impact on the environment stop and people. For many, it is associated with old grandmothers and Soviet times, when a flower adorned every window sill. Our grandmothers believed that the plant had truly unique properties. However, even now it does not lose its popularity.
The plant saves families from scandals and quarrels, creating a harmonious atmosphere in the house. The specific aroma helps to cope with a stressful situation and relieves excessive irritability. The nervous system comes into order under the influence of a miraculous plant, thanks to which a person no longer has terrible dreams, and insomnia disappears. Many believe that it is an excellent amulet that protects against the evil eye and damage.
A variety of beliefs are associated with geraniums, in which our ancestors believed especially strongly. Previously, girls carried dried flowers with them, sewn into a bag, so that the guy they liked would pay attention to them. The girls believed that they help to give rise to reverent love. It is believed that the plant has a positive effect on the family budget.
Geranium bloom close up
White geraniums symbolize purity, innocence and sincerity. They protect family happiness from misfortunes and failures. Married couples who want to have a baby should immediately purchase white geraniums: She will help you become a parent.
Red symbolizes passionate love. Single girls who dream of meeting a soul mate should make friends with them. Red geranium will help preserve beauty and youth. Pink plants are presented to girls who cannot get married for a long time.
Another scientific name for geranium
In Latin, the name sounds like this - "geranium". It comes from the word "geranion" or "geranios", which means "crane" in translation. The name was given to the plant for a reason: the fruits that are tied on it look very similar to the beak of a crane. The British and Americans call geranium "cranesbill" - "crane".
Pelargonium flower
What is the difference between geranium and pelargonium?
There is a lot of confusion in the field of floriculture regarding geraniums and pelargoniums.. Some think they are the same plant, others believe that "pelargonium" is the scientific name for the plant. This is a big misconception. In fact, geranium and pelargonium are two completely different flowers that have significant differences.
They belong to the same family, this is the greatest similarity. The family contains five genera and eight hundred species of plants. The most numerous is geranium, and the most common is pelargonium. They have similarities in external features. They have very similar fruits that resemble the beak of a crane or stork."Pelargos" is translated from Latin as "stork", hence the name "pelargonium".
Plants are characterized by the presence of different genetic properties, so they cannot be crossed. The homeland of pelargonium is the southern regions, and geranium came to us from the northern latitudes. This difference significantly affects flowering: geranium blooms even at twelve degrees Celsius, and pelargoniums require greenhouse conditions for this. Pelargonium grows well at home, in flower beds and on balconies, it can exist in gardens where it does not need to be covered during the winter months.
Care difference
Species that grow naturally on rocks love light sandy soil, while species that live in grasslands thrive in heavy soil with clay.
Pelargonium close up
Geranium and pelargonium grow well indoors with partial shade., although they like good lighting, but without direct sunlight. Their care is basically the same. The only difference is that pelargonium is looked after in an apartment, and geraniums in a garden.
Pelargonium is placed on the windowsill, providing it with a comfortable temperature. She came to apartments from hot places, so she needs greenhouse conditions. If the plant does not have enough light, it stops blooming or blooms small flowers. Pelargonium is watered as the topsoil dries. It is impossible to moisten excessively, otherwise it will lead to rotting of the root system. Pelargoniums need a small pot filled with nutritious soil and equipped with high-quality drainage.
It is watered infrequently, special attention is paid to it if the summer turned out to be not rich in rains. Despite the fact that the flower will develop both without fertilizer and without weeding, it is still worth paying a little attention to these aspects of care. Minimal feeding and weeding will help the flower become more lush and healthy. They plant it in sunny places, do not cover it for the winter, because it tolerates frost well. This is the fundamental difference between the two types.
How to distinguish between two flowers?
A geranium flower has five or eight petals. Most often single flowers bloom, but in some varieties they are collected in inflorescences. Pelargonium growing at home has an unusual structure of the corolla of the flower: the upper petals are larger than the three lower ones, due to which an irregular shape of this part of the flower is formed. Pelargonium flowers produce large inflorescences. Geraniums have a wide range of colors that flowers other than scarlet can color, and pelargonium flowers never wear colors with blue notes.
On the left is a pelargonium flower, on the right is a geranium
The most common varieties are "Georgian", "Oxford", "magnificent". Pelargonium is loved by home flower growers, blooms flowers throughout the year. In summer, it can be placed on a balcony or veranda, but in winter it must be returned indoors.
Flowers are often confused, believing that this is the same plant. However, these two flowers are completely different plants with fundamental differences, so you need to be able to distinguish them from each other.
Pelargonium (Geranium), (Pelargonium). Description, types and care of geraniums
Pelargonium, or Geranium (Pelargonium), she is kalachik- a genus of beautiful flowering plants of the family Geraniaceae (Geraniaceae).
the most popular plant, both among indoor and among garden and park crops. It looks great on the windowsill in the apartment and office, in balcony drawers, in flower beds and on lawns, in gardens and cottages.
The word "pelargonium" comes from the Greek "pelargos" - stork, because the fruits of geraniums look like a stork's beak.
Geranium was brought to Europe in the 17th century from the Cape Colony. At first, it was considered an aristocratic plant, it was bred in the greenhouses of rich mansions and suburban villas. Now it flaunts in every home, because geranium is unpretentious, stable, and long-lived.
Types of pelargonium
Fluffy geranium (Pelargonium crithmifolium). The plant is native to South and Southwest Africa.
Succulents, forked-branched, shrubs, with creeping shoots up to 1.5 cm thick. Leaves are pinnately lobed, 5-8 cm long, slightly pubescent or smooth, glaucous. Flowers 4-6 collected in umbrellas, white, with red spots of the throat, pedicels 1-2.5 cm long. It grows well in moderately warm rooms. Propagated by cuttings and seeds.
Geranium quadrangular (Pelargonium tetragonum). Homeland - South Africa.
Bushy plant 30-70 cm high, with stems branched at the base, erect or decumbent, consisting of three- or four-sided segments 6-8 mm wide of different colors (from light green to green-gray). The leaves are alternate, on long petioles, slightly pubescent, 2-5 cm wide, usually dry up and fall off in winter. The leaf blade is heart-shaped with a red-brown border. In spring and summer, flowers appear on the plant, resembling a butterfly in shape, in color from white-cream to pale pink, with three large upper petals and two small lower ones. It grows well in a lighted and ventilated room with a temperature of at least 10 ° C. Watering in the spring-summer period requires plentiful, in the autumn-winter - limited. The soil is nutritious with good drainage. Propagated in spring-summer, cuttings from the central part of the stems, rooted in a sandy dry substrate.
Geranium angular (Pelargonium angulosum). It is found in the southwestern part of the Cape Province (South Africa).
Grows up to 1 m tall. The leaves are oval, three- or five-angular-lobed, broadly cuneate at the base, pointed. Short petiole. Inflorescence a multi-flowered umbel. The flowers are bright red. Blooms in August-October.
Capitate geranium (Pelargonium capitatum). It lives on wet soils, on coastal dunes in the Cape Province (South Africa). Evergreens, shrubs 0.5-0.6 m tall, densely pubescent. Shoots straight, widely spread. The leaves are three- or five-lobed, serrated. Stipules broadly heart-shaped, dense. Inflorescence a multi-flowered umbel. Flowers sessile, purple-pink. Blooms in July-August. The leaves have a pleasant aroma. An essential oil is extracted from them, reminiscent of the smell of rose oil. It is a house plant.
Curly geranium (Pelargonium crispum). It grows in the southwestern part of the Cape Province (South Africa).
Evergreens, shrubs 0.3-0.6 m tall, strongly branched. The leaves are arranged in two rows, small, almost heart-shaped, three-lobed, curly at the edges, unevenly serrated, hard, with a pleasant aroma of lemon. Flowers collected in 2-3, on short stalks. Blooms in July-August. It is a house plant.
Bed geranium (Pelargonium cucullatum)
Highly branched shrubs, shoots densely pubescent. The leaves are kidney-shaped, also densely pubescent. Umbrellas are multicolored. Flowers purple-red. Blooms in August-September.
geranium grandiflora, or Royal (Pelargonium grandiflorum). The homeland of the plant is Southwest Africa, the Cape Province (South Africa).
Evergreens, branched shrubs up to 90 cm tall. Leaves are kidney-shaped, rounded, more or less five-seven-lobed or dissected, glabrous or slightly silky-hairy, coarsely toothed at the edges. Stipules free, ovate. Peduncle with 2-3 flowers. Flowers 2.5-3.5 cm in diameter, white, with reddish veins. Blooms in April-June.
Fragrant geranium (Pelargonium graveolens). It grows in the southern and southwestern parts of the Cape Province (South Africa).
Shrubs strongly branched, up to 1 m tall, with short glandular hairs. The leaves are five-seven-lobed, the lobes are deeply notched and pubescent on both sides, with a pleasant strong aroma. Flowers, collected in multi-flowered umbrellas, pink and dark pink. Blooms profusely in summer.
Dirty geranium (Pelargonium inquinans). The homeland of the plant is Natal (South Africa).
Shrubs up to 1.5 m tall. Young shoots are fleshy, pubescent. Leaves are rounded kidney-shaped, glandular-pubescent. Stipules broadly heart-shaped. The flowers are collected in umbrellas, on short pedicels, scarlet-red. It blooms from May to autumn, and sometimes in winter.
Fragrant geranium (Pelargonium odoratissimum). The homeland of the plant is the Cape Province (South Africa).
Shrubs with a short trunk, 15-22 cm tall, branched. The branches are short, grassy, the crown is rounded. The leaves are heart-shaped-round, 2.5-5 cm wide, blunt-toothed at the edges, soft silky pubescent, have a strong pleasant aroma. Stipules are triangular and small. Flowers 5-10 collected in umbrellas. Colors from white to pink. Blooms in summer.
Corymbose geranium (Pelargonium peltatum). Homeland - Southeast Africa.
Shrubs. Branches branched, drooping, glabrous or with fine hairs, slightly ribbed. Leaves are shield-shaped, 7-10 cm wide, five-lobed, entire, glossy green, glabrous, sometimes finely pubescent, fleshy. Flowers 5-8 are collected in umbrellas, pink-red or white. Blooms from spring to autumn.
Pink geranium (Pelargonium radens). Grows on mountain slopes, along river banks on sandy soils in the southern and southwestern parts of the Cape Province (South Africa).
Branched shrubs, up to 1.5 m tall, with stiff short hairs. The leaves are deeply divided. The lobes are linear, densely covered with stiff hairs above and softer hairs below, with curved edges and a strong pleasant aroma. Inflorescence of 4-5 small flowers. Peduncle densely pubescent. The flowers are pale purple, with dark veins. Blooms in summer.
Zonal geranium (Pelargonium zonale). Occurs in shrubby semi-savannah in the southeastern and southern parts of the Cape Province (South Africa).
Evergreen shrubs 0.8-1.5 m tall; shoots fleshy, pubescent. The leaves are heart-shaped, rounded, entire or slightly lobed, glabrous or soft-haired, with a brown or dark brown stripe above. Stipules wide, oblong-heart-shaped. The inflorescence is multi-flowered. Flowers sessile, red. Blooms continuously from May to October.
Pelargonium Care
Temperature. In summer - indoor, and in winter, pelargoniums are kept at a temperature of 8-12 ° C. The winter period and the period until April are decisive for subsequent flowering, since the laying of flower buds occurs at a relatively low temperature (11-13 ° C) for 2.5-3 months. This period is characterized by a short day, which is also significant, since pelargoniums are short-day plants.
Lighting. Light-loving, well tolerate direct sunlight. It is best to keep them on the south window near the glass. Plants tolerate both northern and eastern windows, however, with a lack of light, they stretch out in winter. In winter, pelargonium can be illuminated with fluorescent lamps.
Air humidity and watering. The room with pelargonium must be constantly ventilated. In summer, plants are recommended to be placed outdoors. When taking them out into the open air, they should not be knocked out of the pots to dig into the ground, but it is better to bury them in the ground along with the pot so that they do not grow too violently to the detriment of flowering. In September-October, when frost approaches, the plants are transferred indoors.
Watering is moderate, do not like waterlogging. Watering should be done after two to three days, after the top layer of the substrate has dried. In winter, the plants are watered very moderately to restrain growth during the winter lack of light and prevent them from stretching. In addition, waterlogging of plants in winter with a cool content often leads to wilting of leaves and rotting of the root neck and roots.
Pelargonium does not require constant spraying, but on hot summer days periodic spraying of the plant will be useful.
Fertilizer. 2-3 months after transplantation, it is necessary to feed with superphosphate, which stimulates flowering. Plants do not tolerate fresh organic fertilizers well.
Transfer. Every year in March, young plants are transplanted into a fresh soil mixture. At the same time, they are pruned, leaving 2-5 buds on each shoot, in order to subsequently obtain low and lush, profusely flowering specimens. Overgrown pelargoniums are transplanted only if necessary (for example: when the pot becomes cramped).
The soil. The substrate is neutral, light, well permeable to air and water. May consist of equal parts of soddy, leafy soil, peat, humus and sand with a small addition of charcoal. Good drainage is a must.
Reproduction. Pelargonium is propagated most often by apical cuttings with 3-5 leaves, in spring (February-March) and summer (July-August). The cuttings are cut from the apical and lateral shoots with 3-4 nodes, making a cut obliquely under the bud. The cut cuttings are slightly dried for several hours, the slices are dipped in charcoal powder (one crushed tablet of heteroauxin is mixed into 100-150 g of powder), and then planted in a pot or bowl, placing them along the edge of the dish.
To form a lush bush, pinch the apical bud. The planted cuttings are exposed to a well-lit place (without direct sunlight) and at first (before rooting) they are moistened carefully, only by spraying. Cuttings take root in 2-3 weeks.
Rooted cuttings are planted in pots one at a time, without pruning, so that they bloom more quickly. The smaller the pot, the more abundant the flowering will be. Plants grown from cuttings cut in August bloom as early as April, and during spring cuttings, flowering occurs only in mid-summer.
It can also be propagated by seeds. When propagated by seeds, the splitting of parental traits is obtained, therefore sowing by seeds is used for breeding purposes.
Seeds are sown in spring in boxes or in bowls in a substrate composed of sod, peat soil and sand in equal volumes. At a temperature of 20-22°C shoots appear after 12 days. Seedlings are sown in 5 cm pots, and when weaving a coma of earth, a transshipment of 9 cm is given. Seedlings bloom in a year, but most often after 14 months.
Attention! All parts of plants of some species of pelargonium are slightly poisonous, ? may cause contact dermatitis.
Possible difficulties
Due to lack of light lower leaves may fall, the stem is stretched and exposed. The plant blooms poorly.
No flowering can be caused by a warm winter, provided the plant is healthy.
When the lower leaves turn yellow and their edges dry out, the reason for this is the lack of moisture.
Lower leaves turning yellow, while they wither or rot - the reason is an excess of moisture in the soil. Remove rotting leaves and sprinkle them with crushed charcoal. Watering should be done after 2-3 days, after the top layer of the substrate has dried.
Stem blackening at the base indicates a black leg disease that destroys the plant. Cut off the healthy part and root it. In the future, observe the watering regime. If the plant is severely damaged by the disease, then it can no longer be saved by the plant and the earth is thrown away. The pot after the diseased plant should be well disinfected.
Due to waterlogging of the soil, there may be small swellings on the leaves- watery soft pads (edema). Follow the watering schedule.
Due to waterlogging of the soil on the plant, gray rot.
The beneficial properties of geraniums have been proven by scientists in such experiments:
Drops of liquid with millions of staphylococcus bacteria were applied to the surface of the leaves. After three hours, most of the bacteria were dead. Research began to deepen.
They put the geranium in the box. Plates were placed at a distance of 0.5 cm from the leaves, on which there were drops of liquid with microbes. The environment for microbes was created nutritious. After six hours of neighborhood with geraniums, all microbes were killed. It turned out that geranium releases bactericidal substances into the air that are harmful to microbes.
Geranium leaves and roots are used for medicinal purposes. Of the chemicals present in the plant, especially gallic acid, gum, starch, pectin, sugar and tannins can be distinguished. Geranium preparations have an astringent effect, prevent the secretion of fluids, and when taken orally, slow down the absorption of iron and other minerals. In addition, they are used in the form of gargles of the mouth and throat in the treatment of pharyngitis, increase blood clotting, have an astringent effect, reduce nosebleeds, treat gastric, intestinal bleeding and bleeding in the oral cavity. In the past, geraniums have been used for fractures and to treat cancer. Used as a remedy for diarrhea.
Geranium is useful for people suffering from neurasthenia, insomnia, hypertension, heart disease and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It has a particularly beneficial effect on the energy of patients with chronic gastritis with high acidity.
The presence of geranium indoors improves the condition of those suffering from diseases of the liver and gallbladder.
Geranium- a good antiseptic, anti-inflammatory agent.
After picking and kneading with your fingers, geranium leaves, you can put them in your ear with otitis media This will reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Traditional medicine suggests using fresh geranium leaves for compresses, making healing infusions and relieving pain. It is good to hold a geranium leaf behind your cheek. with toothache. Babies' teeth erupt easier and more painlessly if a geranium leaf is tied to their cheek from the outside.
You can also use geranium in the treatment of ear mites in animals, the tick disappears, as a rule, during the first procedure
Attention! In no case should geraniums be placed in the oral cavity in small children, only external exposure is possible.
Patients with radiculitis or osteochondrosis it is recommended to make compresses with crushed geranium leaves, applying them to sore spots all night. If you put a geranium leaf on the pulse on your wrists, blood pressure can normalize.
For cuts and wounds, to improve healing and disinfection, apply geranium leaves or flowers to the damaged area.
At the beginning of a cold with nasal congestion drip juice from the leaves and flowers of geranium three drops into the nostril. At night, wrap the big toes with geranium leaves in 3-4 layers, wrap them with a bandage and put on socks.
Place a plant with geranium next to the patient to inhale fumes (exclude drafts during the procedure)
Compress: for pain in the ears and chronic otitis, take 5-12 fresh geranium leaves, grind them into a pulp. Add 2-3 tbsp. spoons of oatmeal, rye, or buckwheat flour (you can just steamed bread or rolls), 1-2 tbsp. spoons of camphor alcohol, mix everything. Knead a stiff dough, roll it up and put it around the ear, drip 1-2 drops of geranium juice inside. Put compress paper, insulate with cotton wool and fix with a bandage for the night. Three or four procedures - and the disease will recede.
Infusion: Pour 20 g of fresh flowers or leaves of room geranium with a glass of boiling water, leave for 7-8 hours.
Infusion against diarrhea: 3 tbsp. pour spoons of gruel from fresh leaves and flowers with medical alcohol in the amount of 100 g. Infuse for three days in a dark and warm place in a well-closed container. Take 20 drops per tablespoon, adding water until it is full, in the morning on an empty stomach and in the evening before going to bed. If alcohol is contraindicated for patients, then you can be treated in this way: pour 2 teaspoons of freshly prepared gruel or leaves and flowers with a glass of cold boiled water. Insist in a dark place for eight hours. Take equal portions for 5-6 times.
To normalize blood pressure attach a geranium leaf to your wrist (where the pulse is) and tie it with a bandage for convenience so as not to hold the leaf with your hand.
pharmachologic effect
Diarrhea stops, blood pressure normalizes, the work of the heart and pancreas improves, the norm of glycogen in the liver is restored.
With paralysis of the facial nerve indoor geranium is used in compresses, applications, ingestion and as an oil for rubbing into affected muscles.
Infusion used with paralysis: 3 tablespoons of crushed fresh leaves pour 100 ml of alcohol. Infuse for three days in a dark place, take 20 drops in a spoonful of water, in the morning on an empty stomach and in the evening before going to bed.
Properties of geranium juice
With cataract it is impossible to restore an already dried-up lens of the eye; in this case, an operation with its replacement is necessary. But if you have only recently been diagnosed with a cataract, in order to stop its development, along with the medicines prescribed for you by an ophthalmologist, remember room geraniums.
Daily instillation of 1-2 drops of juice from its leaves and flowers in the corner of the eye help you maintain and improve your eyesight.
Geranium oil: Place 1 cup of crushed slurry of fresh leaves and flowers in a glass dish, pour in half a cup of undiluted medical alcohol, close the lid carefully. Glassware must be transparent. The infusion contained in it should take? volume. Expose the dishes in good sun for two weeks. Then open the lid and fill the bowl with olive or corn oil to the top. Close the lid and put it out in the sun again for another two weeks. Then drain the oil, wring out the raw material and discard. Store in well-closed bottles.
Attention! Before using the self-medication methods above, consult your doctor.
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