Geraniums

[Izzie]

I LOVE THEM.

Who loves them/has them?

They just GIVE GIVE GIVE.


This summer we had the worst hail/mini tornado storm I've ever seen in my area. All of our plants (including 15+ geraniums) were stripped completely of leaves. We lost about $200 worth of plants, and were devastated to see some geraniums we've had for generations (one is ~40yo) almost destroyed.


A week later, all of them were shucking out the leaves like nobody's business.
By now, all of them are back to full size specimens.
They live on a baker's rack in my room during the winter, and should all be in full bloom next month. I'll post pictures.

[Izzie]

D: no geranium love? how absurd.

[Tindomul]

Hey, I don't know much about Geraniums other than that they are real pretty, mostly rabbit proof, full of colours, bird pollinated, and found in many places.
Here are pictures of some I've taken in the wild. First one is a native to the North East. Geranium maculatum which is used for medicinal purposes,
the second one is one I used to have here at home, but it didn't take to a trimming very well.
Not sure what hybrid it is.
Then I have one unknown geranium species I found in Ethiopia. Well unknown to me cause I haven't tried to ID it either.

[Izzie]

That first one is all over in CO rocky mountains! I love them- have always secretly lusted after them.


I have several types/colors I could send you a cutting of- I've never heard of one that didn't thrive from trimming. :/

[Izzie]

My favorite is a trailing type that has doubled rosette flowers.

Thanks for sharing your pictures Tindo! Those are really neat.

[Tindomul]

yea, no problem! Always willing to learn more about plants

[Tindomul]

Here is another one for you, Geranium bicknellii.
Found at New York Botanical garden in a wet field.

[Tindomul]

Went to NYBG and they had this enormous specimen of Geranium palmatum. Really very pretty. Drool now.

[nenella]

Very interesting! I would have never thought there were so many types of natural ones. Learn something every day! Thanks!
As a side note: A lady I know has been putting out of date contraceptive pills into her geranium pots - as 'fertilizer' for more than 20 yrs and she swears by this..... her plants & flowers are beautiful even thouigh she lives near the centre of Milan (Italy) where the air is very polluted.

[Tindomul]

Strange. Well, lets hope those hormones in the pills aren't making their way to the water supply. Could have some unintended consequences. I would not recommend anyone else do that unless they can control where the hormones end up.
Also, I don't know enough about the pills and what chemicals they carry that would aid a plant. But I doubt the hormones they put in the pills affect plants in any way, shape or form. Could be nothing more than a good luck charm.