Geraniums with fragrant leaves are typically bought as little nursery plants. Place them in pots with a peat-based potting mix or in average to rich, medium-moisture, well-drained soil. A somewhat acidic soil is preferred by geraniums. Although they may tolerate light shade, full sun normally produces the finest blooms.
Do fragrant geraniums reappear every year?
“The phrase “scented geranium” is a general name for Pelargonium species with fragrant leaves and/or flowers.
Compared to garden geraniums, these species and cultivars often have smaller leaves and blooms (P. x hortorum).
For example, in the image below, the plant on the right is a zonal geranium, whereas the plant on the left is a “geranium with a lemon scent.
These plants have glands that produce the fragrant oil. The oils are produced when the leaves are crushed or otherwise disturbed, giving off a sweet perfume.
Although perennial in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 and 11, scented geraniums are typically planted as annuals.
You can bring your magnificent plants indoors for the winter if you don’t live in one of these places and don’t want to toss them on the compost pile every year.
Naturally, scented geraniums can’t tolerate much cold, but some plants, especially the smaller-leaved variety, can tolerate temperatures as low as Zone 8.
Some can flourish in Zone 12. In Zone 8, plants often die back to the ground in the winter and emerge again in the spring.
A Note of Caution:
Dogs and cats are poisoned by all Pelargonium species. Any portion can cause ataxia, depression, and hypothermia in big dosages and vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea in pets when consumed in modest levels.
How are sweet-scented geraniums grown?
Scented geraniums should be planted in wet, well-drained soil in either full sun or part shade. These simple-to-grow plants may easily withstand arid conditions and sandy soil. They sulk in the soggy clay. Choose a container with appropriate drainage and high-quality potting soil before putting fragrant geraniums in it. Because they allow the soil to dry more thoroughly than plastic pots, clay pots are a great option. Rarely do scented geraniums require fertilizing.
Can fragrant geraniums be grown outside?
The care of scented geraniums is quite simple. They can be grown in the ground, in containers, or both indoors and outdoors. Although they may require some protection when the sun is at its hottest, they prefer lots of sun. They don’t care much about the type of soil, but they don’t enjoy wet feet.
While they are actively growing, fertilize them softly and sparingly. The main drawback of scented geraniums is that they have a propensity to grow lanky and require trimming to encourage bushiness. Overfertilization just makes this issue worse.
However, don’t discard those trimmings. Cuttings of scented geranium can be simply grown to replace older plants or to make thoughtful gifts for friends. You could wish to use plants that you’ve grown from cuttings to line a sidewalk or path. Grow scented geraniums where they will be handled, whether in pots or the ground, as the leaves need to be brushed or crushed to release the fragrance oils.
Dig up your plants for indoor use or collect cuttings for winter growth before the first fall frost. Geraniums with a fragrant scent thrive in similar conditions to those outside. Maintain them in a sunny window, give them regular waterings, and apply very little fertilizer.
It’s amazing that every gardener doesn’t have at least one scented geranium because caring for them is so simple both inside and out. They make the ideal plant for a balcony or patio. They are edible in addition to providing fragrant leaves, gorgeous blossoms, and exquisite fragrances. The aromatherapy is free to use and the leaves can be used to flavor drinks, jellies, or baked foods. So ignore the roses. Observe the perfumed geranium and take a whiff.
Can fragrant geraniums endure winter?
Scented geraniums’ lovely scent should be all around you. These fragrant plants, which belong to the genus Pelargonium, are relatives of the common garden geranium. Numerous fragrant geraniums are heirloom plants that have endured over time because of gardeners who took cuttings and shared the fragrant offspring. Like other fragrant geraniums, rose geranium produces fragrant oils in its leaves. Scented geraniums are attractive flowers that are simple to grow. Green, blue-green, and variegated tones can all be seen in the leaves as they unfold. Give plants a position in full sun, fertile soil, and well-drained soil. Provide protection from the harsh afternoon sun in southern locations.
Temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal for scented geranium growth. Plants are stressed by higher temperatures, so when the summer heat comes, be sure to give them enough moisture.
Grow aromatic geraniums in pots or garden beds, such as rose geranium. Due to their lack of winter hardiness, most gardeners plant these aromatic beauties as annuals. Use a commercial soil-free planting mix designed for use in pots if you’re growing fragrant geraniums in them. These mixtures offer the superior drainage that fragrant geraniums require.
It is simple to overwinter these fragrant plants, either in containers or by using cuttings. Give potted scented geraniums a place next to a light east or south window for the optimum growth if you move them indoors for the winter. Inside, plants will slenderize. Trim them as necessary to control growth.
Another method for preserving scented geraniums through the winter is to take cuttings. Cuttings of scented geraniums are more prone to decay than other geraniums from the Pelargonium genus. Cuttings should be dipped in a mixture of 2 tablespoons of home bleach and 4 drops of liquid dish soap in 2 quarts of water to avoid this. Cuttings should be let to dry overnight before planting the following day.
Scented geraniums are adaptable indoor plants. You can use fresh leaves in the kitchen or dry them out to make potpourri. Chopping fragrant geranium leaves fresh to add to cookie or cake mixes is a typical kitchen usage. Or use full leaves to line a cake pan before adding batter and baking. Slice the leaves off the bottom of the cake after baking, or leave them on and enjoy the crunchy bite. A tasty sweetener is made by layering whole perfumed geranium leaves with sugar.
Native to South Africa, scented geraniums are from the Cape of Good Hope. Scented geraniums, such as rose geranium, gained to popularity as perfume ingredients in the 1700s. In place of pricey rose attar in perfume, the rose geranium Pelargonium capitatum, sometimes known as Attar of Roses, was utilized.
In Kenya, which was then owned by the British, rose geranium farms started to appear. Although the geraniums are grown in Egypt, China, and India, rose geranium oil is still used today to substitute expensive rose attar in perfumes. 2.5 pounds of rose essence are produced from one ton of rose geranium leaves.
How can a scented geranium get bushy?
Your aromatic geranium plants will become fuller and bushier with occasional pinching and pruning. Never hesitate to cut back a plant if it becomes too big. The optimal time to prune is in the spring because the plants will have more time to develop buds and blossoms.
What distinguishes scented geraniums from regular geraniums?
Scented geraniums (Pelargonium spp.), which are herbaceous perennials native to South Africa and grow in USDA plant hardiness zones 8 through 11, release potent fragrances from their leaves. The over 200 officially recognized cultivars are divided into groups based on their scents. Compared to real geraniums, scented geranium blossoms are smaller and lack aroma. Many fragrant geraniums give food, sugar, syrup, and hot tea flavor.
Why are the leaves on my perfumed geraniums yellowing?
Having too much moisture or overwatering is one of the most frequent reasons of yellowing leaves. Geraniums typically have yellow leaves at the bottom when they are overwatered. They could also get water patches that appear pale. If so, you should cease watering right away so that the plants can dry off. Remember that geraniums do not like excessive amounts of water and are drought-tolerant plants.
Geranium yellow leaves can also occur when the water or air are too cold. Since geraniums prefer warm climates, they struggle in cool climates. Geraniums with yellow leaves can be caused by prolonged cold weather, particularly cold, wet weather, or by cold snaps in the spring.
Additionally, a nutrient deficit could be the reason why the geranium leaves turn more yellow than green. Every third watering or once a month, geranium plants should be treated with a comprehensive, water-soluble fertilizer (ideally one with micronutrients). Geraniums’ yellow leaves can be avoided using fertilizer, and the plant will grow larger and produce more blooms as a result.
A geranium with yellow leaves sporadically indicates the presence of a disease. Verticillium, for instance, is a fungus that can result in stunted growth, withering, and brilliant yellow leaves.
What about the yellow-edged geranium leaves? Dehydration or a lack of water are frequently blamed for geranium leaves that have yellow margins or yellow tips. Geraniums require some water even though they can withstand drought. In these situations, you can use your fingers to feel the soil to gauge how dry the plants may be and water accordingly. Trimming the yellowing growth off might also be beneficial.
You can see that geraniums with yellow leaves often only require a little tender loving care in order to recover. If you provide a geranium with what it need, the leaves won’t turn yellow.
What can you make of fragrant geranium leaves?
You can grow roses, gardenias, heliotropes, or hyacinths in your garden if you’re gardening for smell. Additionally, try some scented geraniums or grow some in pots to enjoy indoors. These attractive plants, which are linked to ordinary garden geraniums, have aromatic scents that can be strong or delicate.
The genus Pelargonium, which includes scented geraniums, has been around since the 1600s, when Dutch sailors took them back to their gardens after finding them growing wild in South Africa. The plants were once again in motion by the late 1700s and had gained popularity in both America and Europe.
They gained popularity because they were, and still are, simple and enjoyable to maintain, but over time, contemporary hybrids with large, striking blooms took the place of their delicate hues and typically modest blossoms.
Nowadays, you can get scented geraniums with green, bluish-green, gray-green, or variegated foliage in white, pink, red, and lavender. Interestingly, the leaves, which contain aromatic oils, are where their smell originates.
The plants are regaining popularity because of their enormous diversity of scents. You can choose between sweet cultivars that smell like chocolate and violets or fruity varieties that smell like apples, lemons, limes, and oranges. Peppermint, cinnamon, anise, nutmeg, or pine are the common scents of spicy pelargoniums. As long as the leaves have never been cultivated or treated with chemicals, rose-scented geranium leaves can be used to flavor cakes and other meals.
Many scented geraniums are good for growing in containers and can withstand dry soil. When watering, thoroughly soak the plant and drain any extra liquid. After that, wait a little while before watering the soil once again. Use a planting medium that drains well because the plants dislike having wet feet.
Scented Geranium ‘Apricot’
The upright growth habit and delicious scent of the pelargonium “Apricot” make it the perfect plant for pots.
In Southern climes, especially, scented geraniums may require protection from the hot afternoon sun. They prefer full sun. Take cuttings or bring your potted plants inside for the winter before it becomes too cold outside. Give them a well-lit exposure; otherwise, they can slant toward the light and begin to appear leggy. Till spring, apply very little, if any, fertilizer; after that, only lightly feed. Legginess can also result from over feeding.
With the lengthening of the days, buds will begin to form. Once your plants begin to develop actively, you might want to cut or pinch them back to keep them bushy and shrubby, but hold off until the flowers are finished. In the late October, stop trimming and pinching.
Pests and diseases rarely affect scented geraniums. Depending on where your plants are growing, use a product designated for indoor or outdoor usage and follow the advice if you do notice common pests like aphids or whiteflies.
Are you ready for more scented flowers? Scented geraniums are challenging to raise from seed (and hybridized types won’t always produce offspring that resemble the parent plant). Cuttings make it simpler to recreate them. Cut a stem that is 3 to 4 inches long with a sharp knife. Insert the cutting into a mixture of sand and perlite after stripping off the leaves about an inch from the bottom of the cutting. Till roots grow, keep the cutting wet but not waterlogged. After that, you can transplant it into a 4″ container with standard potting soil. Move the potted cutting into the garden or a bigger pot once it has a robust root system and the weather is consistently warm.
How can scented geraniums be kept from growing too long?
The majority of geraniums’ lanky growth is the result of inconsistent maintenance pruning. Although geraniums are naturally lanky, woody plants in the wild, we prefer them to be compact and bushy in our homes. A geranium needs to be pruned severely at least once a year to keep it compact and bushy and to keep it from becoming lanky. The better a geranium can maintain an attractive shape, the more frequently you prune it.
Poor lighting conditions can also cause spindly geraniums. In addition to pruning, increasing plant spacing and placing them in full sun can frequently solve the issue.
Leggy geraniums can also be caused by too much moisture. Geraniums should only be watered when the soil feels dry to the touch and should be planted in well-draining soil. Geraniums can become stunted, sickly, and spindly if they are overwatered.
Do fragrant geraniums keep mosquitoes at bay?
Despite what the labels on the citronella or lemon-scented geranium “Mosquito Plants” marketed at big-box stores suggest, the plants don’t actually keep mosquitoes away. The oil found inside the leaves is what has the mosquito-repelling qualities. To obtain these oils, you would have to crush the leaves. You would then need to apply these oils to your skin. It won’t do anything to keep mosquitoes away if you plant them in your landscaping.