Comments on: All About Pelargoniums http://patwelsh.com/wpmu/blog/planting/all-about-pelargoniums/ Just another Patwelsh.com weblog Mon, 21 May 2012 16:00:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 By: Pat http://patwelsh.com/wpmu/blog/planting/all-about-pelargoniums/comment-page-1/#comment-137 Pat Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:31:44 +0000 http://patwelsh.com/wpmu/?p=178#comment-137 I think your mother was referring to various varieties and colors of ivy geranium (Pelargonium peltatum). Ivy geraniums (Pelargonium peltatum) differ from the upright common garden geraniums (Pelargonium x hortorum) since they are trailers and thus perfectly adapted to growing in hanging baskets. But one geranium that is not a scented one but which has fuzzy leaves is called Pelargonium 'Splendide', sometimes sold as P. Tricolor, or P. violareum. It has gray fuzzy leaves and pretty flowers with two dark red upper petals that are almost black at the base and three lower white petals. It grows well in hanging baskets. The fact that you remember your mother's "pellies" as having fuzzy leaves makes me think that she also grew some scented geraniums in hanging baskets. Several scented geraniums have lovely flowers in spring and the leaves are fragrant when crushed and can be used for flavoring tea or bakery goods. For example, one leaf of rose geranium placed in the bottom of a cup-cake dish, filled with white or yellow cake batter and baked can impart a delightful flavor. Some people chop the leaf and mix it into cake batter. Most types of scented geranium are good for hanging baskets and window boxes. These include P. x fragrans 'Nutmeg', lemon geranium (P. x fragrans 'Prince Rupert' and others), and peppermint geranium (P. tomentosum). There are a huge number of types and fragrances. I hope this strikes a bell. You should be able to find hanging basket geraniums (Pelargoniums) in Florida where you live, or if not all are available, look for them as small plants from catalogues. I think your mother was referring to various varieties and colors of ivy geranium (Pelargonium peltatum). Ivy geraniums (Pelargonium peltatum) differ from the upright common garden geraniums (Pelargonium x hortorum) since they are trailers and thus perfectly adapted to growing in hanging baskets. But one geranium that is not a scented one but which has fuzzy leaves is called Pelargonium ‘Splendide’, sometimes sold as P. Tricolor, or P. violareum. It has gray fuzzy leaves and pretty flowers with two dark red upper petals that are almost black at the base and three lower white petals. It grows well in hanging baskets.

The fact that you remember your mother’s “pellies” as having fuzzy leaves makes me think that she also grew some scented geraniums in hanging baskets. Several scented geraniums have lovely flowers in spring and the leaves are fragrant when crushed and can be used for flavoring tea or bakery goods. For example, one leaf of rose geranium placed in the bottom of a cup-cake dish, filled with white or yellow cake batter and baked can impart a delightful flavor. Some people chop the leaf and mix it into cake batter. Most types of scented geranium are good for hanging baskets and window boxes. These include P. x fragrans ‘Nutmeg’, lemon geranium (P. x fragrans ‘Prince Rupert’ and others), and peppermint geranium (P. tomentosum). There are a huge number of types and fragrances.

I hope this strikes a bell. You should be able to find hanging basket geraniums (Pelargoniums) in Florida where you live, or if not all are available, look for them as small plants from catalogues.

]]> By: Jeanne Elledge http://patwelsh.com/wpmu/blog/planting/all-about-pelargoniums/comment-page-1/#comment-135 Jeanne Elledge Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:59:52 +0000 http://patwelsh.com/wpmu/?p=178#comment-135 My mother used to reside in Carmel & Paso Robles prior to her demise. She always had a gorgeous selection of plants in hanging baskets. She referred to them as "Pellies". They were very fancy with ruffled, multi-colored blossoms. Do not know there specific name, but I do remember her saying they were related to geraniums, fuzzy type leaves. Can you help educate me? Would love to have one for my farm here in Ocala, FL. Have a green house if needed. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Jeanne My mother used to reside in Carmel & Paso Robles prior to her demise. She always had a gorgeous selection of plants in hanging baskets. She referred to them as “Pellies”. They were very fancy with ruffled, multi-colored blossoms. Do not know there specific name, but I do remember her saying they were related to geraniums, fuzzy type leaves.

Can you help educate me? Would love to have one for my farm here in Ocala, FL. Have a green house if needed.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Jeanne

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