Species pelargonium

Does anyone grow them?

I was sent a little gift from a friend - a mix pack of seed for species pelargonium.

The pack said approx 10 mixed bag.

10 have popped up so far. Looks like I have another 2 to come. They are just breaking through. They have taken maybe a month.

I've never grown them before - I usually choose large tall plants. But I'm quite excited about these - even though I will have to give them windowsill space over the winter. 

I will post some photos when they are a little bigger. I'm looking forward to working out what they are!

Are these the scented leaf pelargoniums?

Yes....my seeds came from here:

https://www.fibrex.co.uk/collections/pel...ums?page=2

There's another site at https://www.pelargoniumspeciesworld.com/

Well I have got a little hooked on these plants
I've grown a few more from seed again and overwintered last years by placing them under the GH bench wrapped in 2 layers of fleece. No water.
About 6 weeks ago I went through the lot cutting out all the dead leaves. They have flourished and look really good at the moment.

#species pelargoniums can be found wild and just from just a few hundred of these species found in the world there are many thousand of cultivars produced - I have been reading up

These plants are where your bedding hybrid pelargoniums originated from.

The flowers are irregularly shaped, with two upper petals and three lower ones. Lots of them have scented leaves, some are difficult to place but one from this new mystery pack of seeds that I started in January definitely is Citronella.

I'm still trying to ID some but it has been a fun thing to do. The range of variety is huge. I have some with leaves as big as my hand and a few tiny ones, the flowers can be a little nondescript but the leaf shape, the textures - some are like velvet and the scent is amazing.
I'm not sure what I can do with them now I have 20 or so but I will probably have another go next January.

A few photos of the leaf shapes just in case anyone is interested- also back to VCs thread the scented geraniums are all edible and can even be used in cake

       
Sidiods - this one b is really beautiful 

   
This smells strongly of citronella


   
I'm not really sure what this is maybe p. Austral rotundo

   
Overwintered lot in theGH

Wow , they're beautiful, Scarlet. You've done well to overwinter them.
I bought a collection of plants a couple of years ago but didn't give them the TLC they deserved and they struggled overwinter and packed their bags.
We had a lemon scented one in the bathroom for years, cheap air freshener.
I love them as they're so tactile - you have to rub their leaves every time you see them!

Yes exactly that! I can't get anymore but if I ever get a patio these will be on it!

Just to say it's nit too late to start from seed. Fibrex nursery's does a mix pack - scented, species, angel? And another, can't think now for £5. Worth a go I think. I'll hang on to just 2 of each variety this summer and hope I can get them through again.

Last year I couldn't wait for each one to flower so I could attempt to ID it I can't wait to do the same again but the scent on this bunch of plants is fab.
Last years weren't quite so obvious - one was apple scented. I will gift some this year as present ( cheap do?! ) so I can try some more next year. Just the size of some of them means I can't over winter huge amounts.

One I’ve got was given to me many years ago as apple scented, but to my mind it smells just like tea tree oil.
Almost unpleasantly medicinal.I’ll go and take a photo.