13 little known facts about geranium and pelargonium plants

They're a much-loved garden plant, but how much do you really know about the geranium?

Officially known as pelargonium, these plants bloom profusely throughout summer and into autumn – whether grown on a balcony, in a window box, hanging basket, container or in a traditional garden bedding display.

With its gorgeous green leaves and fabulous vibrant flowers, these summer beauties are not just bursting with colour but are low maintenance too, which is what makes them so popular, especially for beginners. There are more than 250 species, from zonal geraniums that form the backbone of summer bedding, to trailing geranium (ivy-leaved types) perfect for hanging baskets, and beautiful regal geraniums which are known for their showy, ruffled flowers.

An estimated 40 million geraniums are planted in UK gardens each year, and these strong, trustworthy and dependable plants can be enjoyed for three whole seasons every year.

'Geraniums provide such great value in outdoor containers and window boxes but also in the borders,' says Claudia De Yong, landscape and garden consultant. 'They add a splash of colour right through the summer months, their lush foliage adds texture in the garden and they just keep on giving even coping with adverse weather conditions. Geraniums also make great companions for under planting the bare stems of roses or even a grape vine. They also go well with Lobelia and Alyssum.'

Zonal pelargoniums

Tough, dependable and drought-resistant, Zonal geraniums form upright, bushy plants that are renowned for slug-resistance. With single, semi-double and double-flowered varieties available, zonal geraniums are a good choice for planting together in bedding schemes and for creating containers that’ll be a riot of colour all season.

Ivy-leaved pelargoniums

These beautiful cascading ivy-leaved geraniums ('ivy-leaved' is a reference to the shape of their fleshy leaves, which resembles the foliage of this traditional climber) give baskets and pots longevity, flowering late into the season – and long after other summer bedding favourites.

Regal pelargoniums

Regal geraniums can burst into bloom earlier than zonal types – and they’ll carry on with the spectacle right through the season. Regals are showy, statuesque plants, known for their ruffled flowers. These plants are mostly single-flowered, but bicolour shades are available.

Scented-leaf pelargoniums

Scented-leaf geraniums offer a host of fragrances from citrus to lemon and rose. Scented varieties can produce smaller flowers than other types, but these plants pack a punch with their fragrance (they're at their most intense when allowed to bask in sunlight), and there's a wide choice of foliage styles from variegated to lobed.

Angel pelargoniums

Angel geraniums are a smaller version of regal types. Compact, bushy and cheerful, they’re perfect for small spaces, such as hanging baskets and smaller containers. The darker markings on the flowers' upper petals resembles the characteristic blooms of the much loved pansy and viola. Angels flower profusely (deadhead regularly to keep flowers coming) and they are always a winner in mixed planting schemes.

Here, Pelargonium for Europe, an initiative to promote long-term sales of geraniums in Europe, reveal some little known facts about geraniums. Plus, we share some styling tips and craft ideas to help you decorate your home and garden with geraniums throughout the season.

Geranium is a native of South Africa, where more than 250 wild species of the plant still grow. The first geraniums did not come to Europe until the 17th century.

Where to buy geraniums?

• Thompson & Morgan

• Crocus

• Suttons

The ‘geranium’ is not actually a member of the Geranium family. To gardeners and botanists, 'geranium' refers to a winter-hardy perennial shrub. To add to the confusion, the popular summer bloomers we all know and love are known among experts as 'pelargoniums'.

The naming problem occurred in the 17th century when the first pelargoniums were brought to Europe and were called geraniums, due to their similarity to the perennial plant, and so the name geranium has been used ever since!

Planting single-colour geraniums isn’t new, but the enormous variety in shades means that you can create a very individual style – think deepest burgundy or purple for a darker display, or lilac for a vivid splash of unusual colour. If a white display appeals, try instead a white variety with a splash of pink or red in their petals. Combine with trailing ivy for a classic look.

Several European countries consider the geranium an integral part of their culture and a symbol of their homeland. The Swiss have even elected this easy-care blooming beauty as their national flower.

The leaves and flowers of scented geraniums are edible. Thanks to the essential oils in their leaves, they lend not only decorative touches but also a fine aroma to meat dishes, salads and desserts.

Varieties with a lemon aroma add zest to salads, sorbets or tea. Rose geraniums lend a sophisticated note to puddings, cakes, jams or desserts. Those with a peppermint scent are a delicious addition to homemade lemonade.

An old wooden chair can be turned into an original hanging shelf, on which the flowering geranium can come into its own.

Simply dismantle an old wooden chair into its components, saw through the seat in the middle, and screw the front half to the backrest so that the saw edge points to the rear. Next, spray or paint the chair, hang it up, and decorate it with a potted geranium and other decorative accessories.

Geraniums not only adorn balconies, terraces and gardens, they also enhance interiors. Geraniums thrive in a bright place inside the house if cared for properly. However, most varieties feel most at home in a sunny to semi-shaded spot outside.

In particular, the regal geranium was originally cultivated as a houseplant, and it also goes well with modern interiors.

Other geraniums such as angel and scented-leaved geraniums, also feel at home in a sunny spot indoors, where they create an unmistakeable feeling of summer. Use them as cut flowers too – a few geranium stems in a simple vase, adds colour to any room.

Choose shades of the same colour from light to dark to create a tonal effect. There are so many geranium colours available – think brightest orange, fading down to palest tangerine; or deep hot pink, moving down to the faintest blush. Using different tones of the same colour creates a sense of depth and visual interest.

Geraniums are not only decorative, some also have healing powers. The roots of the Cape region pelargonium, were used by the indigenous people of South Africa to treat respiratory disease, and to this day are a main ingredient of the natural remedy 'Umckaloabo'. The essential oils in certain types of scented geraniums are also said to help alleviate depression and stress.

Certain scent-leaved geraniums can effectively ward off insects, thanks to the essential oils contained in their leaves. At the slightest breeze or the lightest touch, these plants release their perfume. What may be a pleasant smell to us humans will repel mosquitoes, wasps and other insects. The best insect repellents are geraniums with lemon and orange aromas.

Dine alfresco under a canopy of flowers with this DIY upcycling idea. Attach jute string to a pergola or similar structure, use old bicycle wheels to string it through, and hang easy-to-care-for geraniums in pots.

Most people know geraniums as those bright red or white balcony boxers. However, the geranium has a huge diversity of colours, leaves and flower shapes, sizes and growth forms. They not only bloom in red and white, but also in many other shades such as pink, violet, lilac, apricot, orange and yellow, as well as a wide range of bicolour variants.

Geraniums are delightfully low maintenance, easy care and durable, and as such ideal for those who can’t or don’t want to spend a lot of time caring for their plants. Even those who do not have a green thumb can achieve a beautiful display of flowers with minimum time and effort.

Why not reuse some old bike wheels and suspended from your fence or wall? An attractive way to display colourful flower pots. The pots are simply attached to the spokes with wire. Flowering geraniums in various colours make for a spectacular floral display.

When given proper care, geraniums can achieve record-breaking size. There have even been reports of specimens that have supposedly achieved heights of five metres or a circumference of more than 10 metres. Probably not for your average window box then...

Blooms of geraniums can begin to unfold as early as May, but don’t put these tender plants outdoors until the last frosts are over. Similarly, although geraniums will carry on blooming well into autumn, they are not frost hardy, so bring plants into a light, frost-free place to overwinter, before night temperatures drops.

Create a beautiful balcony display with a hanging planter filled with geraniums. All you need is upright or trailing geraniums, terracotta pots with saucers, glue, rope and two round wooden poles and connecting pieces.

Pelargoniums are one of the few summer bedding plants that are largely left untouched by slugs and snails. Gardeners may find molluscs hiding beneath pelargoniums’ bushy foliage, but their stout stems and thick, fleshy leaves are unpalatable to these plant-wreckers.

Create height and interest on your balcony by placing your geraniums in a tall plant stand that will take up little floor space. This is ideal for displaying the cascading beauty of trailing geraniums.