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Information about plants & gardens for Brisbane & Qld |
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Geraniums
Pelargonium species, hybrids and cultivars
Family: Geraniaceae
Ornamental Geranium are popular among cool climate climate gardeners. On this page, however, the discussion will be about Pelargonium species and hybrids, which will be referred to simply as "pelargoniums".
Local gardeners, when talking about "Geraniums", are almost certainly referring to members of the genus Pelargonium. Long ago they were included in Geranium, but today the pelargoniums have their own genus. One of the distinguishing features is that all the petals of the Geranium flower are similar and are arranged evenly around the centre. On the other hand, the individual Pelargonium flower has an uneven distribution of petals, although this may be a little difficult to observe in some garden cutivars.
Pelargoniums have an old fashioned charm, yet new cultivars are being bred all the time. There are hundreds to try, including some with striking coloured foliage. With uncertainty about climate and water supplies, maybe it's time for the heat- and drought-tolerant garden "geranium" to make a comeback in Queensland, especially among those gardeners wanting flowers and a fairly traditional style of garden.
What's more, pelargoniums grow very well in pots and are one among the world's most popular flowering plants for container culture.
Cultivated pelagoniums have developed from extensive selection and hybridisation and today there are many types. Those most commonly grown in Queensland fall into three main groups: the shrubby "zonals", the trailing "ivy leaved" and the "scented". Zonal X Ixy hybrids have been gaining popularity worldwide since their development a few years ago. Big Red is the best known of this type.
Pelargoniums in the Landscape
A collection of pelargonium pictures, mostly old-fashioned varieties, growing in Brisbane. More images will be added over time. Eventually it's hoped that some of these can be identified. In the meantime, you can get an idea of how they look in the landscape and get ideas for your own garden.
Pink 1
Single flowers in a plain mid pink. This one doesn't have obvious zonal markings on the leaves.
Pink 2
Single flowers in shades if pink. Open pale with a pink eye and darken with age. Faint zonal markings on the leaves.
Salmon-Orange
Vivid light orange, semi-double
Yellow Leaf
Yellow leaf with red zonal marking, tending towards more green if shaded.
Scented Geranium
A scented geranium
More images will be added over time. However, due to the decline of online advertising and the rise of content appropriation by artificial intelligence (AI), there won't be much other content added to the website in the foreseeable future. High quality, in-depth information is now being directed towards the email publication (mini-magazine) Get Results Gardening. If you live in Australia, request a free trial. More information here: calyx.com.au/getresultsgardening.html
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