Are trailing geranium and ivy geranium the same plant?

Family: Geraniaceae

Latin name: PewlargoniumPeltatum

Alias: Ivy geranium

Origin and habits:

Native to the Cape of Good Hope, Africa. Cultivated throughout China.

Growth habits:

Likes sunlight, but is also fairly shade-tolerant. Afraid of cold, needs to be cultivated in a greenhouse.

Not tolerant of waterlogging. Likes loose, well-drained soil.

Morphological characteristics:

Trailing, stems and branches brown, young stems green or with a red flush. Leaves ovate or obovate, smooth, thickly leathery, with sparse teeth on the margins. Umbellate inflorescences, flowers in deep red, pink and white, etc.

Propagation methods:

Both sowing and cuttings can be used, with cuttings being the main method. Cuttings can be taken in any season except July to August, when high temperatures make them prone to rot. Cut healthy branches about 10cm long, let them dry for several hours (keeping only one whole leaf or half a leaf at the top), insert them into clean river sand to a depth of about 3cm, place in a shady spot, keep the potting soil moist, and roots will form in about 1 month. Sowing is generally done as soon as seeds are collected, and germination is very easy.

Cultivation and management:

Trailing geranium is not demanding about soil, but well-drained sandy loam is preferable.

Trailing geranium likes sunlight, but avoid direct sun exposure; in summer it should be placed in a shady spot, when the plant is in a semi-dormant state and fertilization should be stopped. Fertilization should focus on phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, with an appropriate amount of organic liquid fertilizer, so as to avoid excessive vegetative growth that affects flowering. To make the plant full and neat, pinch out the growing tips several times during the growing period to encourage new branches, and at the same time promptly remove yellow leaves or overly large leaves, as well as overly dense and weak branches, so that the interior of the plant is well ventilated. Around the time of Frost's Descent, move it indoors to a spot with plenty of sunlight and good ventilation, with a temperature not lower than 5°C to avoid cold damage; at this time watering should be strictly controlled.

Trailing geranium grows relatively fast and should be repotted once a year, promptly removing old roots. Repotting is best done around March to April, before and after moving the plant outdoors.

Uses:

Trailing geranium can be grown in pots for ornamental display, and can also be used to decorate flower beds for holidays such as "May Day" and "National Day".

The whole plant can be used medicinally, and some varieties can be used to extract fragrance.