The popular name for this plant is geranium, although this comparison is not entirely correct. Pelargonium is native to South Africa, and geranium is from Europe. Yes, and they differ in color. For example, in geranium, apart from the general color shades, there is no scarlet, and in pelargonium there is no blue.
Description
This is a beautiful, light-loving flower, unpretentious in planting and care; it can often be seen on window sills in apartments and private houses. Perennial, with branched stems, umbrella-shaped inflorescences.
It takes root well, grows well in partial shade (the downside is that it stretches out and blooms later).
Used in alternative medicine recipes.
Varieties
There is a great variety of varieties and shades of this flower.
- For open ground, the best are: ivy-leaved and zonal pelargonium. They were bred specifically for outdoor plantings, resistant to high air humidity, and the preferred places are artificial slides.
Zonal pelargonium
Pelargonium ivy-leaved
- The following varieties are grown indoors: fragrant, royal, angel pelargoniums and other varieties.
Royal pelargonium
The variety is more demanding to care for; the carved leaves are similar to maple; in order for flower stalks to appear on it, it needs several months of coolness. Bushy, large-flowered, never monochromatic.
Pelargonium "Angel"
The variety was developed by crossing curly and royal varieties. The plants grow quickly, are resistant to drought, and are hanging.
Fragrant pelargonium
It has many odors depending on the variety (mint, apple, pine aroma, roses), and is grown to aromatize the room.
Growing Tips
Obtaining seedlings does not require much work.
Growing methods:
- Without an earthen coma, by rolling the seeds into paper using a plastic mini-bag, and a chlorella suspension. Stable germination, best germination. You can see how many and in what condition the seeds are (intensity).
- Scarification of seeds, with damage to the shell, and then sowing into the soil to a depth of no more than 0.5 cm. Shoots appear after 5 days.
- Cuttings - cuttings taken from adult plants are placed in a container with water until the root system appears, and then planted in prepared soil, in pots of at least 10 cm in diameter.
- Sowing with dry seeds is not very effective and takes a long time to germinate.
- Treating seeds with boiling water before sowing (pour overnight).
Sold in seed packets in quantities of 3 to 5 pieces. Seeds are sown from November to April.
Adviсe:
- The soil for planting needs heavy soil; pelargoniums dry out in light earthen mixtures.
- After planting the seeds, create greenhouse conditions, cover the container with cellophane and leave until the first shoots appear. After which they are removed so that the seedlings do not stretch out. If several seeds were planted, then the seedlings, if there are three true leaves, are planted in other pots, planting each rooted bush separately.
- Place in a sunny place.
- Care consists of watering and loosening the soil.
- Be sure to feed, then long-term flowering and splendor of the bush will not keep you waiting.
With proper planting and care, pelargonium will delight you with long and pleasing flowering.
