2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Geranium (lat. Geranium), Pelargonium is a genus of plants belonging to the Geranium family.
Description
Geranium is a low annual or perennial plant. The height of its stems usually does not exceed half a meter, and the leaves firmly sitting on the petioles can be dissected in a variety of ways. They can be both finger-lobed and finger-separated, and occasionally there are specimens equipped with pinnate leaves formed by three to five leaflets. At the same time, many types of geraniums are characterized by soft-haired leaves, which boast a refreshing lemon and mint aroma.
This plant systematically forms peduncles, equipped with spectacular flowers in the amount of one to three pieces. All flowers are large enough, have the correct shape and are very beautiful. Each flower consists of five identical corolla petals, which are almost round in shape, as well as a five-leafed open calyx. However, the petals of the corolla are also almost flat. In addition, each flower contains ten stamens, and usually all of them are endowed with small anthers. As for the color of the flowers, it can be either purple or blue, purple, pink or white.
Geranium fruits look like bolls with preserved sepals. And such boxes open in a special way - from the lower parts towards the upper ones.
As a cultivated plant, geranium was first bred in the seventeenth century in Europe, and on the territory of Russia it appeared only in the eighteenth century.
Where grows
Geranium is grown mainly as a houseplant, but sometimes it can be found in the wild - in the southern mountains or in the meadows of Europe and the Caucasus.
Varieties
The most common variety is considered to be
zoned geraniumendowed with straight trunks and wavy leaves. Such geranium pleases with abundant flowering throughout the year, and its buds are usually classified into simple (five-petal), semi-double (up to eight petals) and double (more than eight petals).
Swamp geranium it has bright purple inflorescences, for
meadow geranium the presence of light purple flowers is characteristic, and the flowers
blood geranium painted in bright red tones pleasant to the eye.
Central European geranium boasts beautiful deep purple flowers, pyrenean geranium - white flowers, and
south european geranium - delicate pink flowers.
Growing and caring
Almost all varieties of geraniums are characterized by an average need for moisture, however, one of the main requirements for growing it is the absence of stagnant water. In order for this beautiful plant to grow normally, it requires constant watering and systematic loosening of the soil. And it will feel best of all on slightly acidic, neutral or acidic soils.
As soon as the geranium flowers begin to wither, it is necessary to immediately cut off all the faded shoots. And in geranium, the leaves of which do not hibernate, with the onset of September, aerial shoots should also be cut off.
It is also important not to forget that some varieties of geraniums need garters. And this plant reproduces either by seeds or vegetatively. If the seeds were collected in August, then they can be sown immediately into the ground - they will have time to form seedlings before the frost begins. However, the best time to plant them will still be winter, when the soil becomes as frost-resistant as possible. In this case, the seedlings will appear in May, and after about a year you can admire the seedlings.
The easiest way to reproduce geraniums is reproduction by dividing the bushes. It is usually carried out in late summer or early spring, while the first option will be the most optimal, since it is much easier to transplant plants in summer.
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Marsh Geranium
Marsh geranium is one of the plants of the family called geraniums, in Latin the name of this plant will sound like this: Geranium palustre L. As for the name of the family of the marsh geranium, in Latin it will be like this: Geraniaceae Juss.
Hairy Geranium
Hairy geranium is one of the plants of the family called geraniums, in Latin the name of this plant will sound like this: Geranium erianthum Fisch. As for the name of the hairy geranium family itself, in Latin it will be like this: Geraniaceae Juss.
Blood Red Geranium
Blood red geranium is one of the plants of the family called geraniums, in Latin the name of this plant will sound like this: Geranium sanguineum L. As for the very name of the blood-red geranium family, in Latin it will be like this: Geraniaceae Juss.
Pseudo-Siberian Geranium
Pseudo-Siberian geranium is one of the plants of the family called geraniums, in Latin the name of this plant will sound as follows: Geranium pseudosibiricum J. Mayer. As for the Latin name of the pseudo-Siberian geranium family itself, in Latin it will be like this:
Forest Geranium
Forest geranium is included in the number of plants of the family called geraniums, in Latin the name of this plant will sound as follows: Geranium silvaticum L. As for the name of the forest geranium family, in Latin it will be as follows:
