Talk:Pelargonium

Untitled
Note to anonymous user 62.246.38.222: if there was a reason why you deleted the image from the taxobox on this page, please explain it here. I have put it back since I can't think of any good reason for removing it, and I guess it was probably just an accident. seglea 01:31, 10 May 2004 (UTC)

--- It seems to me that the two flowers at the foot of the page are both cranesbills; i.e. genus Geranium, not the genus Pelargonium? Imc 22:44, 13 Nov 2004 (UTC)

Picture from Wikimedia Commons - Common Garden Geranium
I stumbled across this picture on the picture of the day page in Wikimedia Commons. There the title is rose-scented pelargonium, whereas in the English Wikipedia, it is called "Common pink garden geranium". I'm not an expert, but some clarification is needed, especially since the German translator invented, as it seems, a "Rosenduft-Pelargonie" which in turn in the German Wikipedia is called "Zitronenduft-Geranie". --wpopp 09:50, 2005 Jun 14 (UTC)

The image on the left is Geranium sanguineum, the bloody cranesbill. The image on the right could be Geranium versicolor. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.54.128.34 (talk) 21:52, 10 December 2005

just to note the images look to be not actual size — Preceding unsigned comment added by 210.246.8.60 (talk) 05:22, 6 October 2006

"long stacks"?
In the text "Geranium leaves are usually alternate, and palmately lobed or pinnate, often on long stacks, and sometimes with light or dark patterns.", what doese the long stacks mean? Thanks.--218.244.60.37 12:46, 20 November 2005 (UTC)

Surely it's a typo for "long stalks". Fixing. JöG 22:02, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

distinctive smell
The main article should note that the common geranium (in the US) has a pervasive ambience of distinctive odor. And how could one describe this smell? 69.87.202.68 13:22, 4 July 2006 (UTC)


 * Fragrance, not odor. Flowers, perfume, soap = fragrance. Dirty laundry, spoiled food, wet dog = odor. 205.174.22.28 05:49, 9 September 2006 (UTC)
 * And the common geranium has a definite odor, from the leaves. Pee-ew!  I've never smelled the ones in the article which have rose, citrus, nice mint or other nice fragrances.  The only description I can think of is "strong." 82.93.133.130 17:34, 10 November 2006 (UTC)


 * The smell seems to me to be metallic - it also transfers to the hands if you touch the leaves. I added the line about the plant possibly detering mosquitoes - could it be the odour that does that and is there any evidence that mozzies are deterred? --Toh-maag 13:48, 18 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Not all of the Pelargoniums smell nice. Only the scent of P. gravolens can be IMHO classified as a fragrance Sjschen 12:26, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

common Geranium
The main article should have more details about the specific plants most commonly called "Geranium" (in the US). Even though this article has a different title, this is actually the main article in wikipedia about the plants commonly called Geranium. 69.87.202.68 13:22, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
 * Agreed. Even though botanically there's a name mixup, shouldn't we first assume wikireaders typing in "geranium" are looking for info on the common ones, and have links in the paragraph explaining the naming issues to the other plants? 82.93.133.130 17:37, 10 November 2006 (UTC)

Absolutely correct, 2 1/2 years ago! This is the article that should be at Geranium. --Born2cycle (talk) 19:01, 5 December 2008 (UTC)

Seed
I have a photo of this plant's seed. I won't claim it to be high quality but I'd bet that most people never saw one before, despite how common the plant is. Should I upload it? --DustWolf (talk) 13:53, 26 July 2008 (UTC)

Common cold remedy
I understand that Pelargonium sidoides is used as a common cold remedy. It would be good to have some reference to this. 78.151.171.85 (talk) 20:11, 30 September 2008 (UTC)

Obnoxious weed
Perhaps should be mentioned that it is an obnoxious weed in Australia. As are many South African plants. 61.9.246.247 (talk) 07:42, 14 November 2008 (UTC)

Reference
The reference of René Morin isn't good. Balázs Gergő (talk) 18:20, 27 December 2009 (UTC)

Edible?
"The edible leaves and flowers are also used as a flavouring in desserts, cakes, jellies and teas."

Are all Pelargonium's edible, or just the scented variety?

Conversely, are all Geraniums not edible? AnnanFay (talk) 17:51, 17 July 2012 (UTC)

commonly known as geraniums (storksbills in the United States)
This gives the erroneous impression that the name "geranium" is not used in the US. At least for cultivated varieties, "geranium" is certainly the usual word. Kostaki mou (talk) 01:56, 20 July 2012 (UTC)

I am an expert on offshore commercial geranium cutting production. Would it be useful to include this information in this article? Zonal Man (talk) 23:29, 28 January 2013 (UTC)


 * All information added to Wikipedia should comply with the 3 core policies of verifiability (see WP:V), no original research (see WP:OR) and neutral point of view (see WP:NPOV). Hence you would need to find reliable secondary sources (see WP:IRS) to support any additions. I hope that hasn't baffled you with jargon, but those links should answer your question. PaleCloudedWhite (talk) 12:08, 29 January 2013 (UTC)

Cultivation
I've removed some material (see below) that belongs more in a how-to guide than an encyclopedia (see WP:NOTHOWTO), and is also largely devoid of references to reliable sources. —Coconutporkpie (talk) 14:17, 27 September 2016 (UTC)

Their main requirement is a warm, sunny, sheltered location. Many varieties will tolerate drought conditions for short periods. They are commonly seen in bedding schemes in parks and gardens, but can also be grown indoors as houseplants if given enough light. More compact erect and trailing varieties are ideal for window boxes and hanging baskets, in association with other half-hardy plants like lobelias, petunias and begonias. Thousands of pelargonium cultivars are available from garden centres or specialist suppliers during the spring and summer months.

 Overwintering 

Despite not being frost-hardy, pelargoniums are extremely easy to grow and to propagate, but are usually grown as annuals. As they are evergreen perennials, they can be kept in flower throughout the winter months in a sufficiently favoured spot (or indoors). There are even one or two fully hardy species from Turkey. There are a number of methods for successfully overwintering pelargoniums in cooler zones than their native habitats.

 Cuttings  

For large numbers of plants, and particularly soft-stemmed pelargoniums that cannot be kept in a semi-dormant state, softwood cuttings can be taken in late summer and the old woody plants discarded. The cuttings are then planted, and once rooted, overwintered in compost-filled trays in well-lit indoor sites, with minimal watering. If fed in late winter and the shoot tips pinched out to encourage bushy growth, they can be potted up in mid-spring and placed outside once the risk of frost has passed.

 Under glass  

For small numbers of plants or limited space, plants can be lifted before the first frost and cut back to 10 cm, and placed in potting compost in a well-lit frost-free location, with minimal watering, and then repotted in mid-spring.

 Semi-dormant state  

Suitable for pelargoniums with tough woody stems where there are large numbers of plants. Plants can be lifted and allowed to dry out in a frost free location, wrapped in newspaper or hung. In early spring the roots can be soaked, and the plants cut back and then potted up.


 * I think there should be some material on how pelargoniums are cultivated (factual, not how-to), but I agree that what was removed wasn't correctly written. Peter coxhead (talk) 15:58, 27 September 2016 (UTC)

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