New pictures of recently opened pelargonium flowers

Pelargonium praemorsum

Pelargonium praemorsum has two subspecies one with white flowers and the other with pink to purple flowers, The flowers are very big and the upper petals resemble a butterfly. This plant is listed under the section Jenkinsonia which has similar shaped flowers to pelargonium endlicherianum, It was given the name prae-morsum meaning bitten off in Latin because of the shape of the leaves which appear sawn off at the ends. It is native to Namaqualand where it grows in rocky areas up to 30 cm s in height with zig zaggy stems.

Erodium pelargoniflorum

Erodium pelargoniuniflorum also known as sweet heart or heron’s bill has attractive pale pink flowers that are similar to a pelargonium because of the darker markings on the upper petals which many pelargoniums possess, it was given the name pelargoniflorum because of the pelargonium like flowers.

This plant is native to Turkey and can grows up to 30 cms in height with petiolate leaves. There are about 182 species of erodium which are included in the Geraniaceae family.

Pelargonium incarnatum

P. incarnatum is an unusual and attractive plant that has more of the appearance of a Geranium or Erodum because of its symmetric petals but it is in fact classified as a pelargonium, It is a bit of a mystery as it is the only Erodum type to be found South of the Equator and it is believed to be a hybrid between Erodum incarnatum and Pelargonium patulium.

The flowers are light pink with darker red in the centre and zoned circles of white and dark pink, it is a spreading plant which grows to 20 cm in height. The leaves are 3 lobed and irregular toothed, this plant is native to mountainous areas of the Western Cape usually among rocky sand stones.

Pelargoniums in flower

A few pelargoniums are now flowering as the more frequent spring like days & the warming rays of the sun, also some rainfall that encourages growth. Pelargonium glutinosum, P. denticulatum, P. odoratissimum and P. inquians are the first to flower, other types now have buds so should flower quite soon such as P. quercifolium, P. scabrum and P. vitifolium. Also Many birds, butterflies and other wildlife are arriving in the garden.