Annuals & Biennials

Pelargonium
geranium, pelargonium

- Height geranium, pelargonium

- Height 1/2-3 ft (15-90 cm)
- Planting distance 8-18 in (20-45 cm)
- Flowers late spring to midfall
- Ordinary well-drained garden soil
- Full sun
- Tender perennial grown as a half-hardy annual

Pelargoniums, grown outdoors as half-hardy bedding plants, come in a wide range of forms. The flowers, in white, red, pink, rose-pink, salmon, and purple, are borne on either upright or pendulous plants, with variously shaped and colored leaves.

Popular species and cultivars
Pelargoniums are grouped according to hybrid provenance, flower type, or growth habit.
Ivy-leaved pelargoniums are trailing plants with stems up to 3 ft (90 cm) long and midgreen fleshy ivylike leaves. They are ideal for hanging baskets and deep window boxes. These hybrids and cultivars are bred from Pelargonium peltatum.
'Butterfly' is compact, with double lilac flowers.
'Cornell' has pink flowers with a hint of lavender in them.
'Lulu' trails to 11/2 ft (45 cm) and has deep violet flowers.
'Salmon Queen' has deep pink semi- or fully double flowers.
'Snow Queen' has double white flowers tinged with lilac.
'Summer Showers Hybrids' offer a mixture of pink, red, purple, and white flowers.
Martha Washington Pelargoniums, known as Pelargonium x domesticum, are erect shrubby hybrid plants up to 2 ft (60 cm) tall, with light green lobed leaves that are lightly toothed. Clusters of exotic blooms may be veined or marked with contrasting colors; petals may be frilled. Plant in containers, outdoors and indoors.
'Applause' has pink flowers with frilled petals.
'Aztec' has pink blooms, veined in maroon, with a white base.
'Grand Slam' is crimson-red.
Scented pelargoniums, grown for the strong scent of their leaves, bear typical five-petaled flowers, but these are small and insignificant. They are suitable for pot and tub cultivation.
'Chocolate Mint' has peppermint-scented leaves and blush-pink flowers.
'Citronella' has white bloom; its leaves have a lemon scent.
'Gray Lady Plymouth' has foliage smelling of eucalyptus and blush-pink flowers.
Zonal Pelargoniums, sometimes listed as Pelargonium x hortorum, are the most commonly grown cultivars. The rounded pale to midgreen leaves usually have an obvious brown or maroon zone. From 1-3 ft (30-90 cm) high, these upright plants are suitable for beds and containers. Many seed selections, mainly F1 hybrids, are available, such as:
'Borders Series Hybrids' produce medium-size plants 14-16 in (35-40 cm) tall with 5 in (13 cm) wide blooms of scarlet and cherry-red. Excellent for beds, they may be started from seeds.
'Classic Scarlet' produces huge heads of crimson flowers on 12-15 in (30-38 cm) tall plants. Bred to be grown containers, it may be started from seeds.
'Eyes Right' has huge flower clusters in shades of pink and rose-red with scarlet eyes. It may be started from seeds.
'Hollywood Hybrids' bear tightly packed rosy pink, white-centered flower heads. These plants may be started from seeds.
'L'Amour Hybrids' are compact plants that branch from the base with semi- or fully double blooms in pink, red, and white.
'Lucky Break Hybrids' grow only 10-12 in (25-30 cm) high, yet they bear blooms in every shade from red through pink to pure white. Excellent bedding plants, they may be started from seeds.
'Masquerade Hybrids,' a bicolored mixture, has scarlet, pink, cerise, or salmon flowers, all with white eyes. They may be started from seeds.
'Multibloom Hybrids' are compact plants 10-12 in (25-30 cm) high. They flower 2 weeks earlier than most other zonal types and have many more flowering stems per plant. Available in shades of white through pink to scarlet, they may be started from seeds.
'Orange Appeal,' with large, pure orange flower heads, may be started from seeds.
'Orbit Hybrids' are available as a mixture or in pink, deep pink, scarlet, violet, or white. They may be started from seeds. 'Apple Blossom' is a cultivar.
'Ringo Scarlet' has glossy, rich scarlet flowers above dark green zoned foliage.
'Ringo White' has pure white flowers and light green leaves.
'Sensation Mixed,' called floribunda geraniums, come as mixed seeds or in colors of rose, scarlet, cherry, blush-pink, and coral.
'Startel' has dense flower heads in white, pink, and red, and heavily zoned leaves. Cascading zonal types branch from the base and cascade over their containers. Cultivars are:
'Breakaway Red' and 'Breakaway Salmon,' both 10 in (25 cm) tall, have deep red or salmon flowers and lightly zoned leaves. They may be started from seeds.
'Red Fountain' has single vermilion flowers above strongly zoned leaves. Fancy-leaved zonal pelargoniums have heavily marked leaves that outshine the flowers. The following are cultivars.
'Happy Thoughts' has green leaves with yellow markings and red flowers.
'Mrs. Cox' has yellow, green, red, and copper leaves, with salmon-pink flowers. Miniature zonal pelargoniums, suitable for window boxes and edging, include the following.
'Playboy Speckles,' 9 in (23 cm) high, is compact and bushy, with pink-and-white blooms. It may be started from seeds.
'Video Hybrids,' to 10 in (25 cm) high, come in many clear colors with deep green zoned leaves. They may be started from seeds.

Annuals
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Biennials