Types and varieties of geranium

On our planet, there are a huge number of plants of various shapes, sizes and properties. Some wild species have been successfully adapted by the efforts of breeders to growing conditions in a limited space: an apartment, a house, a garden, a greenhouse. Some species are grown for human consumption, others are used in pharmaceuticals, and still others are suitable only as decoration. But there are species with universal characteristics, which include geranium.

Geranium or crane, from the point of view of scientific classification, is the name of the genus (Geranium) belonging to the geranium family. This is a fairly numerous genus, it includes more than 400 species of various shapes that grow in many parts of the world. Plants from the genus geranium are characterized by petioled leaves with a very diverse leaf shape.

Geranium has very beautiful and fairly large flowers, each of which consists of 5 sepals and 5 petals. The five-lobed corolla, which forms an almost perfect circle when opened, can be white, purple, blue or violet, depending on the species. Each peduncle can have from one to three flowers. The fruit, which forms after rapid flowering, resembles a crane's beak in shape (hence the second name).

This family includes another genus – Pelargonium (Pelargonium), which is found in South Africa. The genus includes about 250 species, and it is he who is the ancestor of most of the known indoor varieties. Plants belonging to the genus Pelargonium have well-branching erect or creeping stems. Petiole leaves can have a simple, finger-like, or dissected leaf blade. Most species of pelargonium are photophilous and are distinguished by very beautiful and lush inflorescences that resemble umbrellas in shape.

Geranium and pelargonium are very often confused and this is not surprising, because they are closely related plants belonging to the same family, but nevertheless, according to the scientific classification, these are two different genera, each of which has its own species.

The high varieties of geraniums or pelargoniums include species that, under good conditions, can reach a certain height. For each species, variety or hybrid, the height has its own maximum values, but, as a rule, they exceed the 50 cm mark.

Preferring moderately moist soils, it has a rather thick, but short (up to 10 cm) rhizome, giving rise to a few, and sometimes completely single erect stems. Their height does not exceed 80 cm. The apical part of the plant is branched, the surface is furrowed with villi.

Leaves, depending on the location on the stem, vary in size and shape. The peri-root long-petiolized foliage reaches a length of 6-12 cm and is distinguished by an opposite arrangement, its leafy-shaped leaf plate is divided into 7 ovoid lobes. The leaves located in the middle part of the stem have a five-lobed shape, while those in the apical part consist of 3 lobes.

The plant is characterized by large flowers with well-open ovoid petals, the length of which ranges from 16-23 mm, and their width does not exceed 10-17 mm. The petals are painted mainly in cold tones: blue-violet, lilac, lilac-blue, violet with a bluish tint. The surface of the pedicels is fleecy-glandular, due to which the pollen is well protected from small insects. Meadow geranium is very actively used in medicine.

Another representative of this genus. For a plant that prefers moist soils, an erect stem with a fleecy surface is characteristic, reaching a height of 70 cm. Leaves, depending on their location, have the same plate separation as in meadow geranium.

The plant has large purple flowers, the diameter of the corolla is about 3 cm. The shape of the petals is ovoid with a blunt outer and pointed inner edges. Sepals covering the surface of the petals have a fleecy surface.

It prefers to grow on moist soils and has high (up to 80 cm), straight, branched stems in the upper part. The root of the plant in the upper part has a thickening and is surrounded by basal foliage, it grows either strictly vertically or slightly obliquely. Long-petiolized foliage with blade division of the plate in the root part forms a rosette.

Peduncles with a vertical arrangement, in contrast to meadow geranium. The corolla of the flower is formed by large (up to 20 mm) ovoid petals, covered in the lower part by shorter sepals. Flowers come in different colors.

It is a prominent representative of tall plant varieties of this genus. Its stems reach a height of 60-80 cm. Green leafy platinum is rounded, with a beautiful jagged edge and a bluish bloom due to hairiness, in autumn the shade gradually turns red. The plant is characterized by rather large, about 5 cm in diameter, purple flowers with purple streaks. Flowering lasts about 1.5 months.

Unlike other species, it has single, not collected in inflorescences, white flowers with purple strokes, located on long (up to 4 cm) peduncles. The plant is not very tall, its branched stems are no more than 50 cm long. The leaf plate is finger-dissected, the lobes resemble a rhombus in shape with smoothed edges.

One of the tallest varieties. Its stems reach 1.5 meters in height. It is no coincidence that the Balkan geranium got its name, because the habitat of the wild species is the territory of the Balkans, the Alps and the Carpathians. A distinctive feature of the plant is its massive root.

At the base of the rhizome there are long-petiolized leaves extending from the central part by 18-20 cm. The leaf plate is colored bright green and has a lobed division. The flowers are up to 3 cm in diameter. The color of the petals varies from light pink to deep red.

Loved by many growers for its resistance to cold, it belongs to perennial garden plants. The height of the bush is about 45-50 cm. The flowers are large (up to 4 cm), the petals are bright pink. The plant has a very beautiful and rather long (from May to July) flowering. The leaves are large, lobed, with jagged edges.

Reaches a height of 50-60 cm, and its width (diameter) does not exceed the mark of 30 cm. Stems are slightly branched with multi-flowered peduncles in the apical part. In the root part of the stems, the leaves are wide (10 cm), with a green border and a brown center. The flowers, although small (the diameter of the corolla is only 2 cm), have a very beautiful burgundy color. The variety begins to bloom in June and ends in early autumn.

Refers to early flowering varieties. The height of the stems does not exceed 45-50 cm. For green leaves with a gray tint, slightly pubescent leaves are characterized by a beautiful lobed dissection. The corolla consists of lilac petals with dark veins, each of which has an expressive notch along the edge.

Tall species are also found among the genus Pelargonium. Refers to the fragrant varieties of pelargonium... Its leaves give off a pleasant pineapple scent when touched. The flower petals are painted in a bright pink color, the plant blooms in late spring. The bush of the variety can reach a height of 1.5 meters.

The undersized group of geraniums and pelargoniums includes species with a shoot height of less than 50 cm.

• A prominent representative of this group is Himalayan geranium (G. himalayense) or large-flowered... It got its name for a reason: the plant is famous for its large (up to 5 cm in diameter) flowers. The corolla of the flower consists of bluish-purple petals with dark red veins, three of which are highlighted on each petal slightly brighter than the others. The leaves are rounded with a lobed dissection. The flowering of the species lasts all summer.

• Dalmatian geranium (G. dalmaticum) refers to miniature species, its height is about 15 cm.But the bush grows well in width: the diameter of the plant can reach 50 cm.The five-petal corolla is pink in color and reaches a diameter of 2-3.5 cm.Green leaves change their original shade by autumn and it turns pinkish red.

• Geranium large-rhizome or Balkan (G. macrorrhizum) belongs to tall species, and cultivars bred by breeders have very low shoots.

• Lohfelden variety reaches a height of 25 cm. Its flowers are predominantly white, light pink streaks stand out on the surface of the petals.

• The Spessart variety the height of the shoots does not exceed 30 cm, and the diameter of the bush itself, as a rule, is within 40 cm. The corolla of the flower consists of whitish petals with a pink base.

• The height of the stems of the variety Bevan's Variety - about 30 cm. Flowers with purple-pink color and light veins. Flowering occurs from May to July.

• Ash geranium (G. cinereum) refers to miniature species, the plant reaches a height of only 10-15 cm. The variety is characterized by a tap-type root system. This drought-resistant and light-loving species has a rather beautiful lilac-pink color of flowers. The variety is distinguished by abundant flowering, lasting from July to August.

• Garden geranium "Ballerina" refers to unpretentious plants and has a rather long flowering period. The leaf plate is small, rounded, with a blunt toothed edge. The petals have a delicate lilac shade with veins and a plum-colored eye. The diameter of the corolla is within 2-4 cm. The height of the plant is no more than 15 cm.

• Miniature variety Jolie Jewel Lilac from Dutch breeders belongs to the most beautiful plant varieties from this group. The bush is very compact, its height does not exceed 15 cm, and its diameter is only 25 cm. A distinctive feature of the variety is, of course, flowers. Dark purple streaks adorn the lilac background of the petals, and white stripes run from the center of the corolla to the edge of each petal. Flowering lasts from June to August.

• Geranium "Roberta" (G. robertianum) is an annual herb with straight hairy stems from 20 to 30 cm high. The species is characterized by not very large single flowers with a pale pink color and rounded petals. Flowering is short and is only 2 months (June and July).

• Blood-red geranium (G.sanguineum) refers to perennial plants. The height of the bush ranges from 10-50 cm. On rigid forked-branched stems, long-stemmed leaves are located quite close to each other. The bright green leaf plate, which changes its color to bright red in autumn, has a finger-like structure. The flowers are large, the diameter of the corolla is about 4 cm, the petals have different colors: there are varieties with both a light pink tint and specimens with red petals.

• Variety "Striatum" is a prominent representative of the blood-red species. The corolla consists of predominantly pink petals, against the background of which darker veins are clearly traced. Five-lobed leaf plates, painted in a juicy green color during the flowering period, acquire a bright crimson hue closer to autumn. Flowering lasts from June to August.

• Geranium "Renard" (G. renardii Trautv) - This is a rather compact plant, its height does not exceed 30 cm. The leaves are colored olive green with a grayish bloom. In the apical part, rather lush umbellate inflorescences are formed, consisting of large (up to 5 cm in diameter) pale lavender flowers. Purple streaks are clearly traced on each petal. This drought-tolerant and light-loving species blooms from July to August.

Among the pelargoniums there are species and cultivars belonging to the undersized varieties. Yellow pelargonium was bred relatively recently, the variety is called First Yellow. This is a real breakthrough in pelargonium breeding. The plant is characterized by high peduncles and semi-double small (up to 2-3 cm in diameter) flowers of a soft lemon color with a slightly creamy shade.

A distinctive feature of the plant is the stamens with red anthers. The bush is small, compact, with strongly branching stems. The leaf plate is five-lobed, the surface is shiny, with sparse coarse hairs.

There are concepts of variety and hybrid. The term "variety" should be understood as plants that are selected by breeders for further reproduction.

Today there is a huge number of various hybrids of geranium and pelargonium, it is impossible to list them all, but there are two rather bright representatives of this group that are in greatest demand among flower growers.

• Quite frost-resistant hybrid "Blue Blood". With proper care, the stems of the plant grow well and reach a height of 50 cm. The plant begins to bloom in June and ends in August. The flowers are large, the petals have a dark lilac color with a bluish tint and clearly distinguished purple veins.
• Another frost-resistant hybrid is "Fay Anna"... The height of this hybrid rarely exceeds 20 cm. The plant is characterized by flowers with a pale pink color, where in the central part of the corolla the conical tips of the middle are painted white. Flowering lasts from July to August, during this period, previously green leaves change their color to red, but not completely: the edges of the leaf plate remain unchanged.

You can learn more about the types of pelargonium by watching the video below.