Beautiful Zonal Geranium Facts That Everyone Will Enjoy!

Pelargonium zonale is a species of pelargonium, endemic to southern Africa's Cape Provinces, in the geranium family.

This flower is one of the ancestors of the commonly grown Pelargonium hortorum, often known as geranium, zonal geranium, or zonal pelargonium. These plants that are called geraniums are not true geraniums.

If you point to a geranium in a garden center, you are probably pointing to pelargonium, a member of the plant family commonly known as geraniums. True geraniums, those belonging to the genus Geranium, are a related group of hardy blooming perennial plants.

Cranesbills are another name for them. Geraniums and pelargoniums both belong to the Geraniaceae family.

Geranium is used as the common name for this well-known blooming plant since it is easily recognizable. Pelargonium takes its scientific Latin name from the Greek word 'pelargos', which means 'stork', with the form of the fruit resembling the bird's beak.

The specific epithet 'zonale' is a neutralized version of the Latin 'zonalis', which means 'related to the zone' and refers to the brown zone on the leaf. These plants, known as geraniums, were introduced to Europe in the early 18th century by Dutch traders who imported them from South Africa.

Jan Commelijn (1629–1692) described this species, which was exhibited in a painting by Maria Moninckx. Pelargonium seeds were carried from Africa to Leiden, the Netherlands in the 16th century, where this plant was grown in a botanical garden.

This flower became popular in the British Isles, France, Italy, and Spain within a few years.

It gradually spread to the Caribbean islands, and by the 17th century, it was well recognized in North America. It is now naturalized in many subtropical and tropical nations but must be grown indoors in cooler climates.

Temperature And Humidity

Geraniums grow best in winter with night temperatures of 50- 60 F (10- 16 C), although they will still survive if temperatures dip to 32 F (0 C) or rise over 80 F (27 C), as long as they are kept somewhat dry.

Plants such as common or zonal geraniums (Pelargonium hortorum) flourish well indoors and outdoors. Ivy-leaf geraniums (Pelargonium peltatum) are popular hanging basket plants for window boxes and containers.

Zonal geraniums are tropical perennials that overwinter in temperatures as low as USDA Zone 7. Except for the blossoms, the entire plant has a distinct odor. It blooms for a long period and abundantly throughout the summer.

What are the different varieties of geraniums?

Geraniums are often kept indoors to overwinter, even though they can be kept outside during the summer months. Alternatively, these flowers can bloom all year indoors if enough light is supplied. Annual geranium, zonal geranium, regal geranium, and ivy-leaved geranium are all types of geraniums.

Pelargonium zonale is an erect or scrambling shrub that may reach a height of 3 ft (1 m). Its stems are juicy, hairy while young, and woody as it ages. The scientific and colloquial names are derived from a narrow, dark, zigzag zone of pigmentation on the leaves.

The blooms are borne in umbels, and the individual blossoms are distinctly zygomorphic. This plant's blossom is slender and vivid, deep pink, with a reddish stripe along the length of its petals.

Plants are planted in gardens in temperate temperature zones in the spring, then dug up before the first cold and transported inside to overwinter. They can be replanted in the spring.

The zonal geranium is an annual flower named for the horseshoe-shaped dark color band that runs across most the leaves. This includes single flower types that blossom the first year from seed, as well as vegetative variants that are semi-double to double types propagated by cuttings.

When this species was mated with a closely related species, it produced a group of hybrid plants known as Pelargonium x hortorum. These hybrids are commonly referred to as zonal geraniums.

Pelargonium cordifolium, commonly known as heartleaf geranium, P. hortorum, common geranium or garden geranium, are two popular species. Rose geraniums add a refined accent to puddings, cakes, jams, and sweets. Those with a peppermint fragrance go well with homemade lemonade.

The ivy-leaved geranium, P. peltatum, has drooping branches laden with blooms and looks great in boxes kept in windows or hanging baskets. This is how they are commonly displayed. 

Scented geraniums, Pelargonium species, are cultivated as herbs and have little or big leaves that sometimes smell like roses or lemons. Martha Washington geraniums produce huge, spectacular blooms and are commonly used as pot plants.

Common Pests And Diseases

Even though they are commonly referred to as geraniums, these famous annual flowers with red, pink, purple, or white blossoms and thick, pleated leaves are members of the Pelargonium genus.

Cranesbill and hardy geraniums are common names for true members of the Geranium genus. Before pelargonium was named in 1789, both species of plants were classified as geranium.

An estimated 40 million geranium plants are planted in UK gardens every year, and these tough, reliable plants can be enjoyed for three seasons. Zonal geraniums may be difficult to cultivate in hot, humid summer areas with heavy rainfall.

Soil rots are unavoidable in poorly drained soils. Leaf spots and gray mold can harm plants.

Aphids, cabbage loopers, and autumn cankerworms are some of the insects that regularly damage geraniums. Damage can also be caused by four-lined plant-insects and slugs. You need to identify the insect pest and use the prescribed pesticide to control it at the right time.

Geraniums are vulnerable to only a few pests and diseases. For example, rust is a fungal disease that develops yellow-orange raised patches on the underside of the leaves at first. Spores that sprout on the leaves generate the spots.

How To Care For Your Geranium

Zonal or common geraniums produce red, rose-pink, purple, orange, or white blooms. The blooms can be solitary or double and have five petals arranged in a regular pattern around the center. The leaves are frequently fragrant.

Zonal geraniums are the most popular geraniums seen at garden centers and florists, where they are marketed in containers for windowsills and balconies or in flowerbeds. This plant requires medium to low maintenance.

Place the seeds in a sunny spot or an area of your garden that receives full light and little shadow. You should plant them in spring once the threat of frost has gone, and the soil has warmed up.

Container plants can be moved inside if desired. You may grow them as houseplants in a bright, direct light window.

You may also overwinter your geraniums in a dormant condition, which is a popular method for geraniums cultivated in hanging baskets. They are classics in pots, either alone or in combination with other plants. They will bloom in sunny windows all winter.

Allow the soil to dry to some amount between watering, then thoroughly water. Water is needed considerably less in the winter but enough so that roots do not dry up completely.

Planting Regal Geraniums

The zonal geranium has long been a favorite of gardeners. They are simple to cultivate, colorful, and have a pleasant aroma. Here is how to cultivate geraniums in your yard and at home!

Various kinds of these flowers, ranging from zonal geraniums which form the foundation of summer bedding to trailing geraniums (ivy-leaved types) which are ideal for hanging baskets and stunning royalties geraniums, are famed for their brilliant flowers.

Regal geraniums are not heavy feeders, but because they are often planted in pots, a modest feeding with your preferred fertilizer every two to four weeks can keep them healthy. The regal geranium was initially bred exclusively as a houseplant, and it also complements modern homes. Regal geraniums like soil that is somewhat acidic and rich yet well-drained.

When growing in pots, use a well-draining general-purpose potting soil rather than garden soil. Here are a few tips to help you plant them properly.

First, you should dip the bottoms of the cuttings in water or a hormone rooting powder. Then you need to plant the cuttings on sandy soil that drains well.

Use some sort of plastic bag to protect the pots and include some air holes. The cuttings should ideally root in two to three weeks, and once rooted, you can plant them in a new pot.