Geranium Species Introduction and Photo Appreciation

Geraniums are excellent ornamental flowers, generally more common in Europe, and now many places in our country also grow this variety. The growth of geraniums has relatively high requirements for environment, light, temperature, etc., and there are also many things to pay attention to when cultivating them. There are also many varieties of geraniums, with certain differences in flower color. Below let us take a look together at what types of geraniums there are? With photo appreciation.

1. What types of geraniums are there?

1. Trailing geranium

Trailing geranium is also called shield-leaf geranium or vine geranium. Its varieties include Amethyst, with purple-red flowers; Lambada 98, with pink flowers; Shone, with semi-double deep red flowers; Penway, with semi-double pink flowers; Tornado, with single white flowers. In addition, there are tetraploid geranium Freckles, with pink flowers; Tetra Red, a large-flowered type, with bright red flowers.

2. Horseshoe geranium

Horseshoe geranium belongs to the subshrub group, with a plant height of 30-80 cm, upright stems, nearly fleshy and cylindrical, and ovate shield-shaped or obovate leaves. The leaf surface has dark brown horseshoe-shaped rings, and the leaf margins have blunt serrations. The flowers range from deep red to white, are relatively few, and bloom year-round.

3. Scented geranium

Scented geranium is also called fragrant geranium, and its commercial name is mosquito-repellent grass. Scented geranium is a plant of the genus Pelargonium (geranium) and is widely popular because the plant has volatile fragrance. It can be used to make essential oil, whose main components include geraniol, citronellol, linalool, etc. There are many types of fragrance, including lemon scent, rose scent, fruit scent, etc. Because cultivation and management are easy and essential oil yield is high, it can be used as a substitute for other essential oils with low yields, such as rose essential oil or neroli essential oil.

4. Regal geranium

Regal geranium is a perennial herb, 30-40 cm tall, with upright, branching stems. The base is woody and covered with spreading long soft hairs. Leaves are alternate; stipules are dry and membranous, triangular-ovate; leaf blades are round-reniform, with a cordate or truncate base. Umbels are opposite the leaves or axillary, noticeably longer than the leaves, with several flowers; sepals are lanceolate, and the corolla is pink, pale red, deep red, or white.

2. Notes on cultivating geraniums

1. Soil

For geranium soil, you can choose a mixed growing medium of 4 parts humus soil, 3 parts garden soil (or peat soil), 2 parts river sand (or perlite), and 1 part organic fertilizer. You can also use a mixture of fine sandy soil, humus soil, perlite, and organic fertilizer. Geraniums require relatively loose, breathable soil. You can repot every autumn, or loosen the soil in time.

2. Watering

Geraniums should be watered appropriately, preferring dry over wet. During the peak growing seasons of spring and autumn, they should receive sufficient water so the potting soil stays moist often, but not waterlogged; on cloudy or rainy days, generally do not water, and do not fertilize either. The plant can be allowed to receive a suitable amount of rainwater, but avoid excessive rainwater irrigation. Otherwise, it easily causes root rot.

In winter, according to the indoor temperature, try to water with water at a suitable temperature, so as to avoid the water temperature being too low and causing the plant's stems and leaves to turn yellow.

3. Fertilizing

During the growth period, geraniums should be given liquid fertilizer once every 10-15 days, while in the vigorous spring and autumn seasons, apply liquid fertilizer once every 7-10 days; before budding, mainly use nitrogen fertilizer, and after budding, mainly use phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, with a concentration of 0.1%-0.2% being suitable. In winter, when kept indoors, the temperature is relatively high, and growth will basically not stop, so fertilizer can be applied appropriately. In summer, with high temperatures, the plant is in a semi-dormant state, so fertilization should be stopped. It is best to fertilize in the evening and water the next morning.