Pelargonium scabrum and other lemon scented species

pelargonium scabrum

Pelargonium scabrum is a charming pelargonium that has strong lemon-scented leaves with quite a rough texture & rhomboidal in shape. The flowers are white but can also be pink with purple markings on the upper petals and each flowering stalk contains about six flowers. It is an upright branching shrub that grows to about 100 cm /39 inches in height native to the Western Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape where it grows in dry, rocky and coastal areas which has summer and winter rainfall.
The name ‘scabrum’ is derived from the Latin meaning having a raised texture, this refers to the leaves of this plant which is covered in rough hairs. Ideal for pots, tubs, fragrant gardens, rock gardens and succulent gardens. This plant prefers dry sandy loam soil conditions (PH. Acid/neutral) in full sun. It differs from the other strongly scented Pelargonium citronellum below by its larger leaves which are palmate in shape with pointed lobes and is also taller than P. scabrum reaching a height of 2 m. The flowers are also larger in size and purplish-pink in colour with darker markings on the upper petals. It is native to the Western Cape where it grows near streams or on hillsides.

pelargonium citronellum

Another lemon-scented pelargonium is P. crispum below which also has rough leaves but are much smaller in size with crisped margins. It is an upright plant that grows to about 70 cm /28 inches in height with large pink flowers and darker markings on the upper petals which shows some likeness to P. hermanniifolium.

Pelargonium vitifolium below has a somewhat lemony balm scent on the leaves, which resembles a vine leaf in shape with stiff hairs and are rough to the touch. It is a large upright shrub with coarsely toothed heart-shaped leaves, this shrub can grow quite large and may take over quite a wide area if not pruned in a Mediterranean type climate, it can also survive for short periods of frost or snow when fully grown.

Pelargonium species flower variations

Pelargonium grossularioides- fruit scented leaf

The pelargonium species are not only admired for their wide variety of leaf shapes, scents and floral colours but also for their flower and petal shapes.
Some types can vary and there are numerous differences in shape, size, nectar tube length and the number of petals.
Some have long oblong petals like that of P. grossularioides left, a fruit scented leaf pelargonium, the flowers of this species tend to be small in size, up to about 10 mm across and form a compact inflorescence of many short flower stalks, like an umbel. The upper petals have dark purple markings and very thin flower stalks. It is a low spreading plant with kidney-shaped leaves that are similar in appearance to a gooseberry leaf.

The purplish-pink flower petals of Pelargonium denticulatum below are also quite oblong but are not so elongated, the upper petal also bends back sightly and the lower petals are slightly smaller in size. Dark red or purple markings are visible on the upper petals, whereas the lower petals contain three petal claws (narrow stalks at the base of the segment). Each flower stalk contains up to six flowers, It is a low growing shrub with dark green sticky finely divided leaves.

Pelargonium denticulatium

The strong lemony balm scented pelargonium vitifolium below has two large upper petals with dark reddish-purple markings and three oblong lower petals with purple veins, at about 15 mm across and appears lighter at the centre. Each flowering stalk contains up to ten pink to light purplish-pink flowers and its leaves resemble that of a vine leaf. This plant is a large upright shrub with coarsely toothed heart-shaped leaves.

Pelargonium vitifolium

The flowers of Pelargonium cucullatum below have large ovate shaped upper petals, narrower at the base with purplish-pink markings & veins, the lower petals are slightly smaller and narrower with lighter pink veins. Each flower is 4 cm across and the flowering stalk contains about five flowers. It is an upright branching slightly woody shrub with rounded toothed leaves that tilt upwards forming a cup shape.

Pelargonium inquinans has red scarlet flowers but also has other colours such as light pink, salmon and white. The flower petals are more rounded and all appear the same size but the two upper petals are slightly smaller and upward, whereas the three lower petals are more equally spaced. The inflorescence contains an array of five to thirty flowers. It is an upright branching shrub with light green heart-shaped leaves with a velvety texture that is covered by glandular hairs.

Pelargonium inquinans

These flowers listed here are mostly pollinated by bees but others have different sized nectar tubes for various insects to pollinate them, such as beetles, moths, wasps, flies and various bee types that have long tongues.