Pocket BotanistPlant guide
Geranium.
Pelargonium x hortorum
Pronounced pel-ar-GO-nee-um hor-TOR-um
Also known as Pelargonium x hortorum, Zonal geranium, bedding geranium, fish geranium, horseshoe geranium, house geranium, zonal pelargonium
Garden geraniums are classic favorites known for their vibrant, rounded flower clusters and velvety, scalloped leaves. They thrive in sunny spots and bring a cheerful pop of color to containers or garden beds. These plants are quite resilient and handle a bit of neglect well if they get enough light.
At a glance
- Care level
- Easy
- Plant type
- Perennial
- Light
- Full sun
- Indoor light
- Direct sun
- Water
- Every 5 to 10 days
- Mature size
- 45 to 60 cm
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Hardiness
- USDA 10 to 11
- Bloom time
- Spring to autumn
Care
Give these plants plenty of sunshine to keep them blooming and compact. Let the soil dry out significantly between waterings to prevent root issues. Pinch off faded flower heads to encourage the plant to keep producing new blooms.
- Watering
- Allow the top few centimeters of soil to dry out completely before watering again.
- Feeding
- Feed with a balanced liquid fertilizer during the active growing season.
- Pruning
- Regularly deadhead spent flowers and trim back leggy stems to maintain a bushy shape.
- Repotting
- Repot in spring if the plant becomes root-bound or needs fresh soil.
- Soil
- Well-draining potting mix
- Soil pH
- 6.0 to 7.0
- Temperature
- 5 to 30°C
- Humidity
- 40 to 60%
- Drought tolerance
- Moderate
- Lifespan
- Perennial, typically 2 to 5 years
- Fragrance
- Light
- Deer and rabbits
- Moderate
Signs it needs repotting
- Roots growing out of drainage holes
- Water running straight through the pot
- Stunted growth
Safety
- People
- The plant contains essential oils that can cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.
- Pets
- This plant is toxic to cats and dogs if ingested.
- Children
- Keep out of reach of small children as ingestion can lead to mild digestive distress.
- Contact allergens
- Handling the leaves can cause contact dermatitis in sensitive people due to glandular hairs.
- Airborne allergens
- The pollen is generally not considered a significant airborne allergen.
- Edibility
- While not highly toxic, these plants are not considered edible and may cause stomach upset if ingested.
How to identify it
- Rounded clusters of vibrant flowers
- Velvety, scalloped, circular leaves
- Distinctive zonal markings on foliage
- Sturdy, succulent, semi-woody stems
- Height
- 0.3 to 0.6m
- Spread
- 0.3 to 0.5m
- Leaves
- green, variegated, semi-evergreen
- Flowers
- red, pink, white, salmon, purple, 2 to 5cm
Problems to watch for
By symptom
Check your geranium from a photo
Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your plant and tells you what's wrong and what to try first.
Growing it
- Propagation
- cuttings, seed
- When to plant
- spring
- Overwintering
- Bring containers indoors before the first frost. Keep them in a cool, bright spot and reduce watering significantly until spring.
- In containers
- They are excellent in pots, provided the container has good drainage and is at least 20 centimeters in diameter.
Stem Cuttings
- 1. Take a 10 centimeter cutting from a healthy stem.
- 2. Remove the lower leaves.
- 3. Let the cut end dry for a day.
- 4. Insert into moist potting mix.
- 5. Keep warm until roots form.
Pair with plants that require similar moderate moisture to avoid root rot in shared containers.
Grows well with
- Petunia — They share similar light and water requirements for container displays.
- Sweet Alyssum — This low grower provides a nice contrast to the upright habit of the geranium.
Similar species
- Ivy-leaved Geranium — It has a trailing habit that is perfect for hanging baskets.
Science
- Family
- Geraniaceae
- Genus
- Pelargonium
- Order
- Geraniales
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Native range
- South Africa
- Conservation
- Not of conservation concern as it is a widely cultivated hybrid.
In their native habitat, they are adapted to well-drained soils and periods of seasonal drought.
- Value to wildlife
- nectar source
- Pollinators
- bees, butterflies
- Uses
- container gardening, bedding plants, hanging baskets
Through the year
Ecological indicators
- Soil reaction
- 6/9
- Light
- 7/9
- Temperature
- 7/9
- Moisture
- 4/9
- Nutrients
- 5/9
- Salinity
- 3/9
Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.
Questions people ask
- How do I keep them blooming?
- Deadhead spent flowers regularly to encourage new growth.
- Can I grow them indoors?
- Yes, they thrive in a sunny window with good air circulation.
Where the name comes from
The name Pelargonium comes from the Greek word pelargos, meaning stork, referring to the shape of the fruit. Hortorum simply means of the gardens.
Good to know
- They are commonly called zonal geraniums because of the dark markings on their leaves.
- They originated from South African species.
- They are very popular for their long flowering season.
- They are easily propagated from stem cuttings.
Also in
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This guide was generated with AI and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.