Scented Geraniums (Pelargoniums)

By

Paula Szilard

What they are

If you enjoy plants with a fragrance, then scented pelargoniums are definitely for you!  Plants with fragrant flowers are wonderful, but only for a brief period.  After that, you have to bide your time and wait patiently for the next flowering.  The fragrance in scented pelargoniums, on the other hand, is on the leaves and is always there.


These understated, classy plants release various scents, such as rose, citrus, fruit, mint, nuts and spice.  Special glands at the base of leaf hairs produce small beads of fragrant oil.   Rubbing, crushing or brushing the leaf releases this fragrance.  Some of the scents are quite pronounced and people can readily agree on the identity of the fragrances.  For instance, there is no mistaking the strong peppermint scent of Pelargonium tomentosum or the lemon scent of P. crispum.  Others, like strawberry or coconut are less pronounced and don’t always seem convincing.  You might say the scent is in the nose of the beholder. There is also a group of plants that have no definable scent.  They may smell strong, but don’t smell like anything in particular. These are most often referred to as ‘pungent.’ The scents are thought to have evolved as a defense against grazing animals.


Except for a hiatus from World War I to the 1950’s, the popularity of the scented varieties has remained fairly constant since they were first introduced to Europe from South Africa in the early 1600’s.  They were later introduced to the North American continent and by 1790 about twenty varieties were grown in American homes and gardens. It is said that Thomas Jefferson brought them into the White House.  People without glass houses overwintered their plants wherever they could, most likely on their windowsills.


Many cultivars have interesting foliage, with attractively shaped and textured leaves.  Some are beautifully variegated.  The flowers, though, are generally subtle.  They are arranged in umbels like Queen Ann’s Lace, or are attached as single flowers or pairs.  Most blossoms are pale lilac or white, often with burgundy markings on the upper petals.  A few scenteds have more showy flowers, but these are often crosses with other pelargoniums, such as regals or uniques that feature striking and colorful inflorescences.  Scented pelargoniums are useful in cooking, baking, for syrups, and in making sachets and potpourris.  Martha Stewart even has directions for using them to create scented sugar.  Not all of the scenteds are good culinary herbs, however.  While pleasantly scented, certain cultivars taste soapy or introduce off flavors into food.


In the mid nineteenth century when French perfumers could not get sufficient rose oil, they turned to less expensive oils made from the rose scented geranium varieties to fill the gap.  Plantings in southern France were not economically viable and were thus relocated to Reunion Island, where the climate was friendlier and the labor was cheaper.  The bulk of the rose geraniums used for oil are now grown and produced in China and India.  These varieties originated in England and are either hybrids of P. capitatum with P. radens or P. graveolens.  P. ‘Rose’ [spelled with an acute accent over the e] is a major cultivar.


Pelargoniums are members of the Geraniaceae family and most species are native to South Africa. There are about 280 species of pelargoniums.  Of these an estimated thirty or so are scented. The word pelargonium itself is derived from the Greek word pelargos, or stork because the seed head resembles the head and beak of a stork.  The name Geranium actually refers to the hardy perennials we grow in our temperate zone gardens, not the plants we usually grow in our patio pots and window boxes. This confusion goes all the way back to Linneaus, who had placed geraniums and pelargoniums together in one genus, namely Geranium.   The French botanist Charles L’Heritier separated out the pelargoniums and put them into a genus of their own.  Thus botanically, the name geranium is used for the plants we grow in our temperate zone gardens as perennials and the term pelargonium is used for the plants those of us in cold climates grow as annuals. Pelargoniums are, in fact, also perennials, but are found chiefly in the frost-free areas of the world where many grow to 4 ft or taller.  There may be 1 or 2 species that are marginally hardy in our climate.  For the most part, in our zone 5 climate, we must bring them in for the winter or propagate them for the following summer.


Most scented pelargoniums are hybrids and they are usually divided into groups by scent.  A genealogical grouping, according to parentage is also possible, but would be very difficult to compile, since the parentage of many plants is unknown.  It should be noted that there are a large number of misidentified plants out in the trade, in gardens and flowerpots, the result of arbitrarily changed names, illegible tags from long ago, and misidentified pass-along plants. Many scented pelargoniums that were first introduced in the UK were renamed when they were introduced in the United States, causing further confusion.  People do not realize the havoc they cause by renaming plants willy nilly.  “Sometimes it appears that total name-anarchy exists,” says Arthur O. Tucker, Professor of Botany at Delaware State University and author with Thomas DeBaggio of The Encyclopedia of Herbs.  One name can refer to completely different plants, one plant can go by several different names, and plants in the United Kingdom often have different names than their American counterparts.  Below is a select list of a few of the best plants in each scent group. They generally have discernible, if not robust scents, especially attractive foliage or flowers, or some other desirable trait.  Of all the scented varieties, the rose scented pelargoniums are the most popular.


Rose-Scented

‘Attar of Roses.’ There are two plants with this name:  a plant with three lobed leaves which is a hybrid of the species P. capitatum.  The other has deeply divided leaves, similar to P. graveolens.  It is considered one of the best rose scents.


‘Candy Dancer.’   Like ‘Dr. Livingston,’ this Austalian hybrid also has a deeply divided, skeletal leaf, but with a lot more leaf surface. The scent is rose or lemon rose. It is assumed to be a hybrid of P. radens.  It is a more compact grower than ‘Dr. Livingston.’


‘Charity.’  A sport of ‘Old Fashioned Rose,’ this plant has variegated leaves that are green on the inside, edged with chartreuse or gold.   The rose scent is mild, but the beautiful leaves more than make up for this.


‘Grey Lady Plymouth.’ This softly scented variegated sport of ‘Rose’ has grayish leaves edged with a very thin white line.  The flowers are pink with burgundy markings on the upper petals.


‘Dr. Livingston,’ or  ‘Skeleton Leaf Rose.’  The rough leaves of this variety are so deeply incised that there is very little leaf surface around the veins, making  ‘Skeleton Leaf Rose’ a very descriptive name.  The assumption is that it is a hybrid of the species P. radens, but the leaf surface is slightly larger.  It is a tall plant requiring plenty of room.



‘Lady Plymouth.’  Also a variegated sport of ‘Rose,’ this cultivar has more pronounced variegation than ‘Grey Lady Plymouth.’  The leaf edges are splashed rather than lined with white.  When it is propagated, cuttings should be taken from leaves that are heavily variegated. Because of its appearance, it is often confused with ‘Mint Scented Rose.’


‘Lara Bounty.’  The deeply divided leaves of this plant have a very faint rose scent.  Unfortunately, not much is known of its origins. The medium rose to salmon flowers are stunningly beautiful.  They can measure over 1 ½ inches across and have frilly petals with burgundy markings that look almost double. 


P. capitatum.  This species has three-lobed, softly hairy leaves and a somewhat spreading habit. The strength of the scent varies in individual plants, so select your plant carefully.  Along with P. graveolens, it is one of the species used in the production of rose scented oil.  Pelargonium capitatum has many hybrid cultivars.  One of them is  ‘Attar of Roses.’ There is another plant sold under the name ‘Attar of Roses’ with deeply divided leaves like P. graveolens.


P. graveolens.   The appearance of this species  shows great variability.  It can be either peppermint or rose scented.  The term graveolens means heavily scented.  There are a lot of  hybrid culivars of this species:  Lady Plymouth, Charity, Rober’s Lemon Rose, Dr. Livingston (Skeleten Rose), ‘Cinnamon Rose,’ and many more.


‘Rose.’  This is a catch all name for otherwise unidentified garden hybrids of P. graveolens which have been passed along for generations.  It is also known as ‘Old Fashioned Rose.’  Many of these plants differ considerably from each other in leaf shape, in growing habit and in the strength of their scent. They are used extensively in cooking--in jelly, cakes and to flavor sugar.  The flowers are lilac pink.


‘Rose.’  [spelled with an acute accent over the e] This is the variety that is currently used for geranium oil in the perfume industry.  It is a hybrid developed in England of possibly P. capitatum, P. graveolens or P. radens.


Lemon or Citrus-Scented

‘Golden Lemon Crispum.’  This sport of P. crispum looks quite a lot like the ‘Prince Rupert Variegated, but its yellow leaf that edges are not as deeply lobed or as ruffled.  The fragrance is a mild lemon.


‘Lime.’  A mildly lime scented variety which is sometimes erroneously given the nonexistent species name P. nervosum.  The leaves are small, rounded and crinkled.  The lavender flowers are larger than those of most scenteds and have dark purple markings on the upper petals.


P. citronellum.  This lemon scented species can be considered a culinary herb.  The name refers to cintronella, the substance thought to be responsible for the lemon scent.  A selection of it is often sold under the name P. ‘Mabel Grey.’ It can grow as high as 8 feet in frost free climates, so frequent pruning is essential. 

  

P. crispum.  There is a very small-leaved form, P. crispum minor and a somewhat larger leaved form, P. crispum major.  The palmately incised leaves are indeed crisp, as its name would indicate. The flowers are pink with heavy wine colored blotches on interesting markings.


‘Mabel Grey.’  This plant is actually a selection of the species P. citronellum.  The leaves are roughly textured and palmately lobed.   The scent is a strong lemon. 


‘Orange.’  A hybrid of unknown origin, this plant has small fan-shaped leaves which smell faintly of citrus.  The flowers are pale lavender with purple markings.  It is often confused with ‘Prince of Orange.’  


‘Prince of Orange.’  This is quite a different plant from the one sold in the United States as ‘Orange.’  I smells faintly of mandarin oranges. It has pink leaves with wine-colored markings.  Most of the orange scented plants sold in the United States are “Orange,’ not ‘Prince of Orange.’


‘Prince Rupert’ and ‘Prince Rupert Variegated.’  These plants have leaves similar to crispum, but larger and somewhat lobed.  They have a mild lemon scent. Presumably because it has attractive ruffled edges, the variegated variety is sometimes sold under the name of ‘French Lace.’




Peppermint

P. tomentosum.   An intensely peppermint scented species, this plant has velvety hairs pleasant to the touch.  It is low growing and well branched.  The flowers are white with purple markings on the top petals.  It is sometimes referred to as just ‘Peppermint.’  Be forewarned, this plant requires more shade than most of the scenteds.  


‘Chocolate Mint.’  A hybrid of P. tomentosum and ‘Fair Ellen,’ this plant has beautiful red/brown markings on oakleaf shaped foliage, but it smells like mint, not chocolate.


‘Pungent Peppermint.’  A tall plant with deeply divided (graveolens type) leaves has a very strong peppermint scent.  It has weak stems which give it a floppy, rangy growth habit.  The small flowers are pale lavender.



Fruit, Nut and Spice Scented


‘Ardwyck Cinnamon.’ This plant has a pleasantly spicy scent which is cinnamon to some and nutmeg to others.  An attractive pot plant, it has gray-

green leaves and small white flowers. 


‘Concolor Lace.’  It short stature (8-10”), light green, ferny leaves and dark rose flowers make this an attractive plant.  The scent reminds some people of filberts.  In fact, it has been erroneously marketed as P. ‘Filbert.’  An other name for it is P. ‘Shotesham’s Pet.’


‘Ginger.’  If you allow it to, this plant will eventually reach 2 feet.  It has large rounded leaves with slightly toothed edges.  The lavender flowers are large and have dark purple markings.  It is said that the ginger scent is not released unless the leaves are crushed. Still, the only thing some people detect is the faint scent of citrus.  It is sometimes erroneously referred to as P. torento, a nonexistent species.  To release the ginger scent, it is necessary to bruise or crush the leaves.


‘Lemon Pepper.’  This plant looks very similar to ‘Fair Ellen,’ but has a more peppery scent.  The leaves don’t seems as deeply incised as ‘Fair Ellen,’ but they do have the burgundy/brown coloration in the center and along the veins.


P. odoratissimum or ‘Apple’ does indeed smell somewhat like an apple.  It has a low-growing, trailing habit that makes it a suitable subject for a hanging basket.  The tiny white flowers with wine-colored markings on the upper petals look like lace from a distance.


P. grossulariodes.  The scent of his small round-leaved plant is considered similar to coconut.  If you want a whiff of this scent, it is best just to rustle the leaves and not rub or crush them.  It has small reddish lavender flowers with darker markings and a low and spreading habit with a maximum height of around 8 inches.  Its small flowers vary from white and pink to the color of beets.  


‘Strawberry.’  This densely branched medium sized variety is sometimes also referred to as ‘Lady Scarborough’ and ‘Countess of Scarborough.’  To some it smells like strawberries and to others, like citrus. It has three lobed, deeply incised leaves and pink flowers with pronounced burgundy markings on the upper petals.


Pungent-Scented.


‘Apricot’ or ‘Paton’s Unique.’ This old British variety, dating back to 1870 has stunning large cherry red flowers with paler throats.  It is known only as ‘Paton’s Unique in Great Britain.   Whoever started marketing it in the United States must have thought it smelled like an apricot.  However, most people consider it a pungent-scented variety and do not detect an apricot scent. 


‘Fair Ellen’ or ‘Fair Helen.’  Attractive foliage is this plant’s the strongest asset. The slightly sticky leaves are an oak leaf shape with brown/burgundy markings in the center and along the veins.  The scent is ambiguous.  Some people think it smells like balsam.  Others detect no definable scent.  The pink/lavender flowers have burgundy colored markings on the upper petals.


P. abrotanifolium or ‘Southernwood.’  The scent of this species is similar to that of Southernwood (Artemesia abrotanum)—pleasantly woodsy and pine-like.  The gray-green leaves are feathery and very different from most pelargoniums.  It has small white or lavender flowers.  Exercise restraint when watering.  This plant requires far less water than most scented pelargoniums.





How to Grow Them

Most scented pelargoniums are easy to grow and care for.  To begin with, pot them up in a high quality, porous, well-draining mix, such as Fafard #2.  If you can’t find a suitable mix, buy a regular all purpose potting mix and add a little sterile sand or additional perlite.  You want the medium to be slightly acidic and peat-based mixes fill the bill.  Do not use regular garden soil because it tends to compact, leaving fewer and smaller air spaces between the soil particles and as a result the roots may be deprived of oxygen. Garden soil may also harbor soil-borne diseases.


Clay or plastic pots work fine as long as you adjust your watering accordingly.  Clay pots dry out faster and are more difficult to clean, but they certainly look a lot better, especially for pelargoniums.  When we think of pelargoniums, don’t we always visualize them in clay pots?  Water generously, then allow the surface to dry thoroughly before watering again. 


Fertilize with a water-soluble fertilizer that has an NPK (Nitrogen to Phosporus to Potassium) ratio of around 15-30-15. In other words it is roughly 15% nitrogen, 30 % phosphorus, and 15% potassium. You also want the formula to be complete with all the necessary micronutrients.   From February through October, when plants are growing most vigorously, apply the water-soluble fertilizer at half strength every time you water.  November through January, again using a half strength dilution, apply fertilizer roughly once a month. You can also use a controlled-release fertilizer, at half the suggested rate for the pot size.


Pelargoniums need extra magnesium, but this need is easily met by periodically watering the plants with a dilute solution of Epsom salts.  Just dissolve 1 teaspoon of Epsom salts in a gallon of water.


Indoors in our northern climate the scenteds do best at an east or a south window.  Outdoors an eastern exposure is fine, but south and west are far too sunny.  In our scorching summer sun, some shade is helpful.  If your windowsills are full, they do quite well under fluorescent plant lights.  The one scented that prefers more shade is peppermint—Pelargonium tomentosum.


Pelargoniums like daytime temperature ranges between 65 to 75 F. and night time temperatures  between 50-60 F.  A cool east-facing sunporch might be an ideal place to grow them. Bring them in when the outside temperatures are no lower than 45 F.  They would survive lower temperatures, of course, but the inside-outside temperature differential might be too extreme and cause foliage loss.  In the spring you can put them back out when all danger of frost has passed and night-time temperatures are back p to 45 F.


Regular pruning is important for most indoor plants, but it’s crucial for scented pelargoniums because many will grow three or four feet high or taller. That’s pushing it for an indoor plant.  It’s useful to know that along each stem there are many nodes with buds.  If the top of the stem is cut off, then these buds will grow, causing the plant to branch out.  Even pelargoniums that are not pruned will eventually branch, but it will take a while.  Such plants can become leggy and unstable.  Start pruning when the plant is no taller than 4-6 inches and has at least five nodes along the stem.  It’s best to shape the plant by pruning during early spring and summer because during the late fall and winter, with less light and cooler temperatures, conditions are ripe for outbreaks of botryitis (gray mold), which can grow on the cut surfaces and destroy plants.


When you become a skillful pruner, you might consider pruning some of your scented pelargoniums into standards.  These small, tree-like plants with single stems and clouds of stunning foliage can be showstoppers, particularly if the foliage is variegated.


You will need an unpruned plant with a single fairly straight stem and its growing tip still intact. Stake it on a straight support a little taller than the height you are trying to achieve, tying it to the stake at approximately one inch intervals. You may leave on single leaves that grow on the stem, but remove any small branches that form. Allow it to grow and when it is the height you want, top the stem.  This will encourage branching, especially at the top.  Allow the top four nodes to develop branches, but remove any branching that occurs farther down on.  After these four nodes have developed branches, cut the tips off, leaving about three or four nodes.  When these nodes in turn have branched out and also show three or four nodes, trim off the tips to encourage more branching.  The number of nodes you leave will depend on how widely spaced the nodes are.  If they are narrowly spaced, leave four.  If more widely spaced, leave three.  Continue trimming off the tops of the branches until your top growth is rounded like a ball.


You might keep in mind that the ideal proportions for an attractive standard are a ball of foliage that measures 1/3 to ½  of the height of the plant.  You can maintain standards by trimming new growth and removing any leaves and branches from the stem. Of necessity, these directions are somewhat sketchy.  You may want to consult books for greater detail.


Scented pelargoniums are exceptionally rewarding plants.  Not only are they attractive, but most do not require extraordinary care.  In contrast to many other indoor plants, they will reward you abundantly every single day they are in your home or garden.


Sources consulted:


Abbott, Peter G.  The Peter Abbott Guide to Scented Geraniaceae.  Angmering, West Sussex, Hill Publicity Services, 1994.  Available at DBG Library.


Becker, Jim and Faye Brawner.  Scented Geraniums:  Knowing, Growing and Enjoying Scented Pelargoniums.  Loveland, CO:  Interweave Press, 1996. Available at DBG Library.


Brawner, Faye.  Geraniums:  A Complete Encyclopedia.  Atglen, PA:  Schiffer Publishing, 2003.


Crocker, Pat, Caroline Amidon and Joyce Brobst,  Scented Geranium/ Pelargonium—2006 Herb of the Year.  Neustadt, Ontario:  Riversong Studios Ltd., 2006. (Published as a resource for the American Herb Society membership.) Available at DBG Library.


Greig, Denise.  Scented Geraniums and Pelargoniums.  Kenthurst, NSW:  Kangaroo Press, 1991.


Lis-Balchin, Maria, ed.  Geranium and Pelargonium:  The Genera Geranium and Pelargonium.  London:  Taylor and Francis, 2002.  (Medicinal and Aronmatic Plants—Industrial Profiles, vol. 27)


Peddie, Mary, Judy Lewis, and John Lewis.  Growing & Using Scented Geraniums.  Pownal, VT:  Storey Communications, Inc., 1991. (Storey

Publishing Bulletin A-131).


Tucker, Arthur O. and Thomas DeBaggio.  The Encyclopedia of Herbs:  A Comprehensive Reference to Herbs of Flavor and Fragrance.  2nd ed. Portland, Or:  Timber Press, 2009.  (Earlier edition published as The Big Book of Herbs, 2000).


Van der Walt, J.J.A.  and Vorster, P.J.  Pelargoniums of Southern Africa.  Cape Town:  1977-1988.  Vol. 1 and 2 are published by Juta & Co and vol. 3 is published by National Botanic Gardens, Kirstenbosch. Available at DBG Library.






   












Pelargonium capitatum
Pelargonium crispum
 ‘Prince Rupert Veriegated’
Pelargonium tomantosum
Pelargonium Radens
 
Pelargonium ‘Lara Bounty’
Pelargonium filicifolium