What is the difference between geraniums and hydrangeas, are they the same species?

When it comes to extremely similar plants, geraniums and hydrangeas certainly come to mind. They look very much alike, and for ordinary beginners it is indeed not easy to tell these two flowers apart. But once you understand their respective characteristics, you can easily identify these two plants.

First, although the flowers of geraniums and hydrangeas are extremely similar, their leaves are completely different in texture and appearance. Geranium leaves are round and lobed, with a fine fuzz on the surface. Hydrangea leaves are mostly oval, with rough serrated edges, and feel fairly smooth to the touch, with no fuzz.

Next, look carefully at the flowers. Although they are both round and clustered, hydrangea colors are not as rich as those of geraniums. Hydrangeas are usually solid-colored, while geranium petals may be red-and-white or mixed with other colors. In addition, a single small hydrangea flower has four petals, while a geranium has as many as five petals.

Then there is the difference in height between the two flowers. Geraniums are relatively short, generally between 30 and 60 cm, while hydrangeas can be between one meter and four meters, a fairly large difference. However, when geraniums and hydrangeas that grow in nature are made into potted plants, their heights can also end up about the same.

Finally, you can look at the flowering periods of geraniums and hydrangeas. The flowering period of geraniums is roughly from May to July each year, while the flowering period of hydrangeas is from June to August each year. Therefore, the one that blooms early is the geranium and the one that blooms late is the hydrangea, and geraniums also fade earlier than hydrangeas.

In addition, regarding the difference in care between the two flowers, hydrangeas originally grew in Sichuan, China, Japan and other coastal areas, and were then introduced to other countries. In terms of care, it is a short-day plant that likes moisture, fears dryness and is not very cold-tolerant. For daily watering, do not pour too much water at once; water slowly until the soil is completely moist. Also avoid direct sunlight. During the growing period, you can apply some fertilizer rich in phosphorus and potassium to help the plant recover its vigor. Geraniums, on the other hand, are perennial herbaceous plants that like light, are not cold-tolerant, like drought and fear waterlogging. They are native to southern Africa and were later grown all over the world.