Long-stemmed pelargonium species

Pelargonium capillare

The graceful long-stemmed species pelargoniums can look just as stunning as any hybrid or cultivar with their long elegant flowers stalks which holds the beautiful delicate flowers and the dainty long leaf stalks that display their aromatic or decorative leaves.

P. capillare is a lovely pelargonium species with very thin petioles which are about 2-6 cm in length. The name Capillare means like thread, most likely because of its very thin leaf stems. The flowers are reddish-pink with raised patches of dark red on the upper petals also with markings of red on both the lower & upper petals, the underside is also darker in colour. This plant shows some similarities to P. tricolor but its leaves are more deeply divided and the flowers differ slightly. It is native to the South Western Cape of South Africa where it grows on mountainsides.

Pelargonium tenuicaule

Pelargonium tenuicaule has long spreading rambling stems with five shallow toothed circular leaves. The flowers are cream when they first open but change to white with a dark purple smudge on every petal, The two upper petals are rounded and cupped. This plant can over time look rather bedraggled in appearance, it is native to Namibia and Namaqualand where it grows in rocky places.

Pelargonium spinosum has an unusual spine like petioles, believed to be hard debris from the continuous petioles which give it the appearance of thorns. The leaves are heart-shaped with coarse teeth and are somewhat pungent scented, they also vary in size depending on where they grow on the plant. The smaller leaves are visible on the shorter stems, while the larger are visible on the continuous petioles. The flowers are long ovate large light pink to white in colour with purple veins. It is native to the North-Western Cape and Namibia.

Pelargonium spinosum

Pelargonium echinatum is another exquisite species, with woody spiny stems and long petioles. The leaves are grey-green ovate with 3-5 shallow lobes. The flowers are usually white but in their native habitat, pink and purple types also exist, followed by a deep red smudge on the upper petals. It is native to Northern Western areas of the Cape in dry conditions and sheltered by rocks or other shrubs, there are a few hybrid forms of this plant such as P. ‘miss Stapleton’.

Pelargonium plurisectum is a low growing shrub with thin branching stems which create a zigzag effect. The leaves are rounded and are divided into five toothed leaflets. The flowers are large orangy red or scarlet in colour with darker markings, to which the lower petals are slightly smaller than the upper petals. It has been discovered growing in Ethiopia and remains dormant for many months, it can also withstand cold conditions more than any other pelargonium.

Others include
P. longicaule-has long elegant flower stems with pale pink flowers and dark green deeply divided leaves known as the butterfly bush.
P. australe- long branching stems with ovate leaves and up to 12 white flowers native to Australia
P. grossulariodes- long reddish stems with fruit scented kidney shaped leaves and small reddish purple flowers.
P. Capitatum- long spreading branches with rose scented leaves.

More info about pelargonium at https://www.pelargoniumspeciesworld.com/page13.html

Pelargonium peltatum-species,cultivars & hybrids

Pelargonium peltatum

P. peltatum is an attractive pelargonium with beautiful elegant flowers which can vary in colour from pastel shades of pink to pale purple & also white usually with darker veins. The rounded leaves look similar to an ivy leaf which is fleshy and succulent like & has a circular zone in the centre. The sap can be taken orally for a sore throat and when grinded into a paste it can be applied to scratches, light burns and wounds as an antiseptic. It is a slightly succulent climbing or trailing plant that is native to the Eastern & Western Cape of South Africa where it grows in succulent shrubland and coastal areas. It is also a great garden plant for hanging baskets, pots or planted next to trees or trellis.
The name ‘peltatum’ is derived from the Latin meaning peltate (shield-shaped, circular) which refers to the leaves of this plant.
Many of the modern-day Ivy leaf cultivar and hybrids geraniums are derived from this species, the first was believed to be a cross between P. Peltatum and P. Hotorum and now comes in many forms including miniature ivy leaf, single flower ivy leaf, double flower ivy leaf, rosettes and ones with fancy leaves or bi-colours.
The Dwarf ivy leaf geraniums are cultivars that have been altered to be significantly smaller in size than the average ivy leaf pelargoniums which doesn’t require much punning due to their short root system & compact growth. The P. “Millfield rose’ is a hybrid ivy leaf pelargonium which has dwarf double rosebud blooms in a delicate pink shade, which looks like small roses, it has green ivy shaped leaves that show some resemblance to P. Peltatum. Another similar hybrid is the dwarf P. “Millifield Gem which has pale pink flowers with dashes of crimson.

The ivy leaf single-flowered pelargoniums are very popular in Europe and are usually hung up on balconies like that of the Balcon mixed which comes in many colours from white, pink to red and can also grow well in pots and on the patio.
The ivy leaf Cascade series have narrower petals and are trailing such as the P. ‘Sofie Cascade’ which has pale pink flowers with darker narrow veins and has a shading of darker pink towards the middle of the flowers.
P. ‘bright Cascade’ has very bright reddish flowers and P. ‘Cascade Lila compact’ has bright pale pink/lavender flowers. Others include P.‘Cascade apple blossom’ and P. ‘Cascade white’.
The semi-double flower types are more popular in the UK and can come in almost all colours apart from yellow and blue. The ivy leaf ‘Harlequin’ series contains several pelargoniums with striking semi-double flowers, P. Peltatum ‘Harlequin miss liverbird’ is a cultivar that has trusses of white flowers that are flushed with a large area of pink. P. peltatum ‘Harlequin Mahogany’ is very similar but with trusses of white, red, pink flowers, others include P. ‘Harlequin Ted Day” and P. ‘Harlequin Rosy o Day’.

As well as the vast array of ivy leaf geraniums bred for their attractive flowers, They are also admired for their fancy ivy leaves like that of P. ‘L’elegante which has mid-green leaves outlined with white, the edges of the leaves are believed to turn pinkish if left un-watered. Others include Pelargonium x Hortorum ‘Vancouver Centennia’ which has coppery brown-reddish leaves outlined and veined with gold. While Pelargonium x Hortorum ‘Indian Dunes’ has bright yellowish-green leaves with a large coppery brown-reddish zone.