Royal geranium: varieties, cultivation, reproduction

Royal geranium is one of the brightest representatives of the Pelargonium genus, which are part of the Geraniev family. However, among the people, the flower is more often called geranium, which from the point of view of botany is fundamentally wrong. Real geranium belongs to the genus of geraniums and is a completely independent plant.

Royal Pelargonium (lat.Pelargonium grandiflorum) is the result of the selection work of the botanist Liberty Hyde Bale and was bred and described by him back in 1901. The parents were originally from South Africa, which can rightfully be considered the birthplace of the flower. From there, the plant was first introduced to England, and then quickly spread throughout Europe. Today, royal pelargonium is grown in many countries of the world, decorating city flower beds, balconies and winter gardens with this gorgeous plant. However, along with high decorativeness, the species is one of the most fastidious and capricious to care for.

Outwardly, the flower looks very impressive: bright and rather large inflorescences densely cover a lush bush that can grow up to 1.5 meters. However, in most cases, the plant is not brought to such a size and is cut off in a timely manner. The optimal size of room royal pelargonium is considered to be 40-60 cm.Such bushes look quite neat, but at the same time, voluminous and thick.

Pelargonium inflorescences reach 15 cm in diameter and, due to abundant and prolonged flowering, form a continuous flowering cap. It is because of the huge size and the large number of flowers that the species began to be called royal. Flowering lasts a very long time, and if favorable conditions are created, it can last from March to early October. King geranium has erect herbaceous stems with densely growing whole lobed leaves. The surface of the leaf plates is often covered with soft villi, and the edges can have a wavy or finely serrated structure.

In the process of flowering, pelargonium releases essential oils and phytoncides into the environment, which have a beneficial effect on the psychoemotional state of a person, relieve irritability and improve sleep. However, individuals prone to allergic reactions should be careful: Despite its faint scent, king geranium can cause headaches, sore throat and a number of other unpleasant symptoms. According to popular belief, the flower helps to harmonize family relations, attracts money and happiness to the house and protects the owners from the evil eye and damage.

The varietal variety of royal pelargonium is amazing. The species is represented by a huge number of large and small plants with colors of red, white, purple, pink, violet and orange shades. Below are the most popular varieties, which, according to experts, are not too burdensome to care for and are suitable for novice florists.

• "Mandarin" (lat. Pelargonium grandiflorum Mandarin), as the name suggests, has beautiful orange flowers. The snow-white inner surface of the petals and a white border along their outer edge give great decorativeness to the buds.The plant responds well to pruning and makes it easy to form the desired shape. A distinctive feature of the variety is the long flowering duration: the first bouquets bloom in the first decade of March, and the last ones finish blooming only by the end of September.

• "Mona Lisa" (lat. Pelargonium grandiflorum Mona Lisa) looks very impressive: against the background of lush green foliage there are large snow-white semi-double flowers with red stamens. The inner part of the wavy buds is sometimes covered with subtle pink strokes, which gives them even more charm. The leaves of the plant are large, dark green, reaching the size of a flower. The variety grows well at home, is one of the most undemanding and is suitable for beginners.

• "Morvena" (lat. Pelargonium grandiflorum Morwenna) is a compact plant with very large black and burgundy flowers. The inflorescences look beautiful against the background of green foliage and remain on the bush for a long time. The plant grows very quickly and shrubs well, maintaining high decorative properties even during dormancy in the complete absence of flowers.

• "Elegance Jeanette" (lat. Pelargonium grandiflorum Elegance Jeanette) characterized by very early and long flowering. The inflorescences are represented by large two-color flowers, the upper petals of which are burgundy, and the lower ones are pale pink. The flower is compact enough and well suited for indoor growing.

• Pelargonium grandiflorum Clarion BrightRed characterized by long and intense flowering, and also needs a good rest in winter. Bright red, not too large flowers cover the bush with a lush cap, effectively combining with the bright green foliage. There are dark spots on the middle part of the petals, which makes the flower look very noble.

Home care for royal geraniums is not much different from growing other members of the Geraniev family. It consists in creating optimal conditions for temperature, lighting and humidity, as well as in timely watering, pruning and feeding the plants.

When choosing a place for royal pelargonium, it is necessary to give preference to sunny and draft-free places. The plant loves bright diffused light and will feel great on the southern window sill. In order to create diffused lighting, use gauze glued to the window with tape, or tulle curtains. If measures are not taken to scatter light, then the risk of burns by leaves increases, which will worsen the condition of the flower and negatively affect its decorative properties.

but it is also impossible to place the plant in constant shade... Lack of sunlight will lead to poor and fleeting flowering, and in some cases even to its absence. Therefore, when growing pelargonium, it is important to choose the right balance of light and shade so as not to harm the plant. The best option for placing a flower will be the window sills of the eastern or western windows, on which the plant will be in the sun for one half of the day, and in the shade the other.

In winter, royal geraniums must be illuminated with a phytolamp. If this is not done, then due to the short duration of daylight hours, the stems will begin to stretch upward, and the leaves will noticeably fade. During this period, the sun is not so active and the plant can be safely placed on the southern windows without a scattering screen.

Royal geranium belongs to a rather thermophilic species and in the summer it feels good at 22-27 degrees. The plant also tolerates higher temperatures, but requires more frequent watering. When keeping pelargonium outdoors, it is necessary to carefully monitor the thermometer readings, since too low night temperatures can cause reddening of the leaves and negatively affect the decorative effect of the flower.

In winter, geranium falls into a state of dormancy and needs a noticeable decrease in temperatures. The optimal temperature regime in the period from November to February is 12-15 degrees. To do this, the flower is transferred to a heated loggia or to a greenhouse, providing it with a sufficient amount of light necessary for the process of photosynthesis. The lowered temperature will help the flower to form new buds, give it the opportunity to rest and start flowering with renewed vigor. The main thing during this period is to protect geraniums from drafts and sharp warming, otherwise you can not count on timely and abundant flowering.

Pelargonium is a moisture-loving plant and requires regular watering. However, the frequency of humidification is selected individually and depends on the air temperature and the location of the flower. So, outdoor plants on especially hot summer days are watered twice a day. The procedure is performed before 10 am and after 6 pm: at this time the sun is not too active and will not be able to burn wet leaves. By the way, geraniums really do not like water on their flowers and leaves, which is why watering should be done as close to the root as possible.

For indoor cultivation, two waterings per week will be enough. provided that the room temperature exceeds 22 degrees. In cold and cloudy summers, watering is reduced to once a week, and is performed only when 1/3 of the substrate dries. If the soil is not dry and remains wet, then it is impossible to water the plant, especially if the temperature is below 20 degrees. This is due to the fact that royal geranium cannot stand cold dampness and, if unfavorable conditions are created, it can get sick with root rot or powdery mildew.

King geranium is very responsive to feeding and changes noticeably with regular fertilization. Additives are applied throughout the growing season - from April to September. Any mineral complex fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are used as additives. Wherein in early spring, the main emphasis is on nitrogen-containing compounds: at this time, the plant is actively increasing its green mass and the presence of this trace element is extremely important for it.

Experienced flower growers advise feeding pelargonium with iodine. To do this, a drop of iodine is diluted in a liter of warm water and the substrate is gently poured along the walls of the pot. For each flower, no more than 50 ml of solution is consumed. When adding additives, the main thing is to observe a sense of proportion and not to feed homemade geraniums more than twice a month. Otherwise, an imbalance of mineral substances may occur, due to which the leaves and stems of pelargonium will turn yellow. For outdoor cultivation, additives are applied every 10 days, which is due to more frequent watering, in which a significant part of the trace elements is washed out. In September, fertilization is stopped and geraniums are prepared for dormancy.

King geranium grows fast enough and needs periodic replanting. This is done every two to three years, focusing primarily on the volume of the roots. For transplanting, choose a pot 2 cm wider than the previous one, since larger containers inhibit the development of the flower.In such cases, flowering may stop and will not resume until the root system grows and fills the entire volume of the pot. The best option for a royal geranium would be a not too deep ceramic pot.

The use of plastic containers is also not prohibited, however, it requires special care in watering due to the risk of mold. Pelargonium is transplanted in early spring, immediately after the plant leaves the state of hibernation. The most important thing is to be in time before flowering, since after the geranium has bloomed, it will no longer be possible to disturb it with a transplant. The newly purchased pelargonium also needs a transplant, which is performed only if the plant does not bloom. But first, the plant is allowed to adapt a little in a new place and transplanted 2-3 weeks after purchase. Then it is watered with "Heteroauxin" or "Epin" and removed to a well-lit place, not forgetting to build a scattering screen.

In order to properly transplant the royal geranium into another container, it is necessary to prepare fresh soil. To do this, you can use both a purchased ready-made substrate and a homemade one. To make it, they take river sand, leaf humus, turf and mix them in a ratio of 1: 2: 2. Royal geranium prefers slightly acidic and neutral soils, so a little wood ash is added to the mixture. Then, from the resulting mixture, small mechanical debris and residues of vegetation are selected, after which they are sent to the oven for disinfection. Calcining the soil is carried out within 20 minutes, heating the oven to 220 degrees.

While the soil cools down, drainage is laid on the bottom of the pot, using expanded clay or river pebbles for this. A thin breathable fabric is laid on top of the drainage, which will not allow soil particles to be washed out. Then a little earth mixture is poured onto the fabric and the geraniums are carefully removed along with a lump of earth from the old pot. To do this, the soil in it is pre-moistened and separated from the walls of the pot with a thin wooden stick. The flower is carefully placed in a new container, fresh soil is poured and lightly tamped.

King geraniums respond fairly well to pruning and quickly take on the desired shapes. The procedure is usually performed after the last autumn bloom before the flower leaves for rest. There are no clear requirements on how to shorten the shoots. However, experienced growers prefer to cut from 1/3 to 2/3 of the length. Experts advise pruning in two stages with an interval of one and a half months. This will help reduce stress levels on the plant and allow it to survive pruning as painlessly as possible.

Timely shortening of the stems promotes free air circulation inside the bush, thereby protecting it from rot and pests. In early spring, before the geranium begins to actively build up its green mass, it is carefully examined and thin shoots that are too long over the winter are cut off. However, this must be done very carefully, be sure to leave at least 3-4 internodes on each stem.

The wounds are treated with crushed charcoal or activated carbon or sprinkled with cinnamon powder. Immediately after pruning, it is recommended to pour pelargonium with a nitrogen-containing composition, which will make it easier to get out of stress. Pruning should be done with a sharp knife or blade, disinfected with alcohol or boiling water. The cuttings remaining after pruning can be used for propagation or grafting.

There are two ways to breed royal geraniums: using seeds and cuttings.For novice florists, the second method will be most preferable, which allows you to quickly and effortlessly get a new plant.

This method is the most effective and is very popular with plant breeders. As a planting material, you can use the parts of the shoots remaining after the spring pruning. Autumn cuttings can also be used, but their survival rate is much lower than that of spring cuttings. It can take up to 8 weeks for winter shoots to take root, while spring shoots grow roots in just 4. This is due to spring sap flow and a natural acceleration of the survival and root formation processes.

A prerequisite for choosing a cutting should be the presence of 2-3 internodes and at least three strong leaves. If the stalk is cut in the summer, then all inflorescences must be removed from it. Otherwise, the buds will noticeably slow down root formation and will pull all the forces of the shoot towards themselves. The place of the cut on the handle must be sprinkled with chopped charcoal and dried a little. Then, in a glass of warm water, dilute 2 tablets of activated carbon and cover with a cardboard circle with a slot for the handle. The sprout is carefully fixed in cardboard so that 1/3 of it is in the water. Soon, the stalk will start up young roots, and as soon as they grow up to 3 cm, the shoot is transplanted into the substrate.

However, when growing roots in water, there is always a risk of rotting. Therefore, plant growing experts recommend rooting the shoot immediately in a nutritious soil. For this, disposable glasses are purchased and a couple of holes are made in the bottom part. Then drainage is laid out on the bottom and the substrate is poured, adding a little vermiculite to it. The soil mixture is spilled with boiling water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate and allowed to cool.

Before planting, the cut of the cutting is dipped in any dry rooting stimulator, for example, in "Kornevin", and deepened by 2 cm. For the first 5-7 days, the cutting is placed in a shaded place for better rooting, and then covered with a glass jar and placed on the windowsill. Watering the cutting is carried out through a tray, filling it with water and briefly immersing a glass with a cutting in it.

The seed propagation method of royal geranium is very long and ineffective, therefore it is not used very often by flower growers. For sowing, only store-bought seeds are taken, since when hybrid varieties are propagated with seeds, there is a high risk of loss of maternal traits. The sowing soil should be slightly acidic and loose, for which at least half of the sand or perlite is added to it. The soil mixture must be disinfected by any of the methods discussed above and poured into a container.

The seeds are spread over the surface of the soil and sprinkled with a thin layer of wet sand. Then the container is covered with glass or polyethylene and placed in a warm, well-lit place. The temperature inside the greenhouse should be between 21-25 degrees. Every day, the substrate is ventilated and, if necessary, moistened with a spray bottle. After the first shoots appear, the glass can be removed, and the shoots can be planted in separate containers.

King geranium is a fairly strong species and is subject to ailments solely due to improper care. Below are the most common problems, as well as their causes and solutions.

• If brown spots have formed on the leaves of geranium, then the reason is most likely in excessive moisture of the substrate and an increased content of nitrogen. Such signs are also characteristic of gray rot, which is successfully treated by transplanting a plant into new soil and treating it with Fundazol or Vitaros.
• A stem that is blackened at the base in combination with yellowing and falling leaves indicates rotting of the roots. The reason is often the high acidity of the substrate, combined with an excess of moisture. As measures to save the flower, it is recommended to transplant it into a more suitable soil and process it with Bioporama or Fitolavin.
• Pelargoniums, which are transplanted into open ground for the summer period, often develop late blight. The first signs of the disease are the appearance of white spots with a small fluff and a noticeable slowdown in shoot growth. To eliminate the problem, diseased areas are cut from the plant, the cut sites are treated with charcoal powder and the bush is transplanted into disinfected soil. After transplanting, the flower is watered with Bordeaux liquid and they continue to monitor the general condition. In most cases, the plant is doing well on the mend and quickly making up for growth retardation.
• If bumps and growths began to appear on pelargonium, then we are most likely talking about a disease of Eden. The reason is too much watering, as a result of which the leaves do not have time to evaporate the liquid absorbed by the roots. To eliminate the problem, improve the drainage of the pot and provide good air circulation around the plant.

As for the infestation of pests, the most often the royal pelargonium is affected by aphids, spider mites and whiteflies. It is quite easy to notice their presence on the bush: the leaves become covered with a cobweb, begin to turn yellow and wither. In this case, any modern insecticides such as "Aktara", "Monterey" or "Marathon" will come to the rescue.

Royal Pelargonium is the most capricious and demanding species, and often refuses to bloom. One of the reasons experts say is too large a pot. The plant begins to abundantly grow green mass and spends all its energy on the formation of new leaves and the development of roots. An equally common reason for the refusal of geraniums from flowering is the lack of a dormant period.

Correcting this situation is quite simple. To do this, you need to completely stop all fertilizing, starting in September, and in early November, take the plant to a cool room and reduce watering. Another reason for the refusal of geraniums from flowering can be the presence of fungal diseases. A diseased plant spends too much energy fighting infection and is unable to form new buds.

The cessation of flowering can also be caused by frequent transplants of the bush. Royal geraniums do not like changing places, so they may react in this way. If the plant still bloomed, but the buds and peduncles fall off too quickly, then the matter is most likely in the dry air of the room.... To increase the humidity, it is recommended to use electric humidifiers or place pallets with wet pebbles in the immediate vicinity of the flower. If all conditions are strictly observed, and pelargonium still refuses to bloom, then the reason may lie in the chemical composition of the substrate. So, an excessive nitrogen content leads to the formation of a beautiful and strong, but at the same time poorly flowering bush, and excessive acidity generally deprives the plant of color.

Thus, in order to properly grow a royal geranium, you need to work hard. But in the future, the plant will delight others with its magnificent flowering and brightness of colors.

For tips on caring for king geraniums, see the video below.