Summer dormant pelargoniums

The summer dormant pelargoniums of P. triste, P. gibbosum and P. echinatum are now beginning to grow new foliage.

Pelargonium triste with new foliage

Pelargonium triste was the first pelargonium to be brought to Europe during the 17th century because its thick tuberous root could withstand long periods without water and would grow again in the rainy season, native to the Northern & Eastern Cape in flat sandy coastal areas or on mountainsides. It is a succulent geophyte with a thick fleshy tuber and hairy feather-like leaves, the flowers are cream in colour with dusty pink stripes which are only scented at night, producing a clove-like aroma to attract moths that pollinate it. It was grown in the UK as early as 1632 and was known as the night-scented Indian geranium first believed to have come from India, as it was discovered at the Cape before proceeding to the East by Ship and was used in the treatment of dysentery. Its botanical name ‘Triste’ means sad and dull due to the drab colour of the flowers, yet it is believed its scent can spread over an entire room. It is lovely to see its fern-like shoots emerge in Autumn which turn into its carrot leaf-like foliage, we have had this plant for several years on the window sill but has not yet flowered and although it doesn’t do much during the Summer it certainly is a fascinating species.

Pelargonium triste when a young

New leaves of P. gibbosum

Pelargonium gibbosum is another summer dormant species that is now growing new foliage, a low-growing scrambling pelargonium with succulent stems and swollen nodes which become woodier as it matures and over time can become quite brittle and may break with ease. The leaves are bluish-grey and pinnately lobed, toothed or with lobed leaflets. It is also called the gouty or knotted pelargonium and is believed to have been grown in Chelsea Physic gardens, London in 1714 known for its wide range of medicinal plants and herbs for apothecaries. Cuttings are easily made in Autumn when the stems have become too long and when cut and added to a new compost-filled pot they begin to grow almost immediately.

pelargonium gibbosum in flower

Pelargonium echinatum has now also developed new leaves in Autumn, a small compact succulent shrub with thick stems, bearing attractive three to eight white blooms with deep reddish purple blotches on long flower stalks in winter, the leaves are oval to heart-shaped with rounded toothed margins. Its botanical name ‘echinatum’ means spiny and is also known as the prickly stemmed pelargonium because of its spiny stems, when in its dormant state in Summer it absorbs sunlight through its thick stems. This plant is native to the Northern and Eastern Cape on dry rocky slopes, on cliffs or under bushy shrubs, it was brought to the gardens of Kew in 1789 by the botanist Francis Masson during his search for rare and unusual flora in South Africa and was grown at Chelsea Physic Garden, London in 1780.

More info at www.pelargoniumspeciesworld.com

pelargonium echinatum flowers