We now have fresh seeds of scented leaf and species pelargoniums which include P. capitatum, P. odoratissmum, P. denticulatum, P. mollicomum, P. grossularioides, P. longicaule, P. vitifolium, P. ranunculopyllum and betulinum. View our online store
There is also new wildflower seeds on the ‘other plant varieties’ page (online store), the latest seeds are Trifolium stellatum-star clover with spherical white flower heads, pink or yellow toned with red sepals and vicia villosa with purple butterfly-like nodding flowers. view other plant varieties
We now have new seeds available at our online store featuring beautiful natural wildflowers of Crete and other varieties in a range of flower colours, leaf forms and plant sizes. Many are grown naturally in our garden and are carefully picked by hand.
Galactites tomentosa also known as the purple milk thistle is a lovely wildflower native to Crete. It has large purple flowers with thin thorn-like petals which attracts bees and butterflies, the leaves are long and lance-shaped with small thorns around the edges and white mottled-markings. It is an upright annual that grows to about 100 cm in height and prefers slightly sandy/loam soil in full sun. This plant makes a lovely addition to a wildflower meadow especially when combined with natural grasses and flowers.
Geranium robertianum pictured below is another wildflower which has tiny pink flowers and deeply dissected leaves which release an aroma when crushed and when rubbed on the skin are believed to help repel mosquitoes. It is an upright annual that grows to about 10-30 cm in height with reddish hairy stems and prefers slightly sandy loam soil conditions in full sun to part shade. This plant looks attractive as a ground cover in large pots under trees or large shrubs such as roses.
Other plant varieties include erodium cicutarium which has bright pink flowers and Erodium trifolium with clusters of white flowers and violet markings. There will also be more seeds available later in the year.
The attar of roses leaf scent of Pelargonium capitatum has a lovely soft & delicate romantic feminine aroma which is released when bruised and can be added to fragrant bouquets, food and beverages, essential oil, fragrant pillows and potpourri. it is a lovely species with soft delicate ovate crinkled leaves on long trailing branches and beautiful purple pink flowers arranged in an inflorescence of 10-20 blooms making it an attractive plant for pot & containers or the scented garden.
Pelargonium cordifolium means ‘heart’ referring to its heart-shaped leaves which are dark grey green and finely to coarsely toothed with a light apple scent. The attractive flowers are pink to purple with large ovate upper petals with purple veins and three narrow lower petals. It is an upright hairy spreading shrub which grows to a height of 150 cm, woody at the base with soft green branches. The flowers and foliage are used in flower bouquets and potpourri.
New seedlings of P. hispidum, P. rober’s lemon rose and P.capitatum ‘attar of roses’ have now germinated.
Pelargonium capitatum ‘attar of roses’ is similar to that of the species P. capitatum but has a stronger scent and brighter flowers. it is a trailing plant which is more upright than P. capitatum.
Rober’s lemon rose (pictured above) is a charming pelargonium with rose lemon-scented velvety leaves and resembles that of a goose foot or tomato leaf. The flowers are purplish pink with deep purple veins and are believed to be a cultivar of graveolens. This plant grows well in a pot near the house so you can inhale its lovely scent as you brush past or as a garden plant to admire its delicate pastel pink blooms throughout the year. It shows some similarities to its parent plant P. graveolens, also known as the sweet scented geranium which has rose minty scent and triangular deeply incised leaves, soft to the touch with a velvety texture. known in Europe as early as the 17th century when its leaves were used to make perfume and potpourri as well as added to food and beverages.
Pelargonium ionidiflorum is now in flower, a lovely woody low growing shrub with bright violet flowers which is ideal as a garden plant combine with other shrubs or in a pot to display with its long dainty flower stems and striking blooms. The stems are greyish brown rough and woody with small celery scented deeply lobed leaves. Its name means violet colour flowers from the Greek ‘ion’ meaning violet in colour and from the Latin ‘florum’ meaning flower, it is native to small areas of the Eastern Cape of South Africa in rocky ground and in parts of the Karoo.
Like that of the pelargoniums many succulents also grow in similar areas of South Africa, The Huernia Pillansii is now in flower,which are star-shaped cream in colour with reddish blotches and soft thick stems with bristles. It is native to the Eastern and Western Cape on stony ground.
The lovely magenta flowers of P. reniforme, a trailing low growing shrubby plant with greyish green soft velvet-like leaves which have a very light aromatic scent and are more silver in colour underneath, the name ‘reniforme’ refers to the kidney-shaped leaves. The flowers are formed in an inflorescence of about ten flowers on long flowering stems, the two upper petals are thin and oblong with darker veins and blotches.
This plant has tuber-like roots which can be used medicinally as an infusion for curing several ailments, mostly respiratory and chest infections, such as bronchitis, tuberculosis & dysentery (from the 1890s) for both humans and animals, it is unknown if it causes any side effects, the powdered form is used as a face cream to help remove pimples and is also believed to have antimicrobial benefits used to kill or reduce bacteria.
There appear to be two different forms of P. reniforme, the first has trailing stems which become woodier as it matures with less curving bright flowers and thicker flower petals, while the other has a more upright growth resembling that of P. sidoides with bigger leaves, which tends to be rarer in cultivation.
It is native to the Eastern Cape and Lesotho on higher ground where it grows in hot sandy conditions or open areas covered with grasses and can also grow well in a range of different altitudes. Unfortunately, native plants are illegally taken from the wild and sold or used medicinally possibly causing the slow decline of this amazing species.
We now have new seeds available at our store, pelargonium peltatum-pale pink, white & purple pink mix.
A beautiful trailing pelargonium with attractive leaves and flowers. The leaves are slightly fragrant, rounded, fleshy with a slightly succulent appearance and a dark circular zone in the centre.
The flowers can vary in colour from pastel shades of white, pink or pale purple & each flowering stalk has about 2-9 flowers.
P. peltatum is a trailing slightly succulent plant that likes to trail through other shrubs or trees and is ideal for hanging baskets, window boxes, medium sized pots or planted next to trees or trellis.
unfortunately we only have a limited availability of seeds this year, but will try hard to have more available in summer 2023. view on our website
We also have new seeds of Pelargonium multibracteatum-
A charming pelargonium with branching stems and lightly scented soft green rounded lobed leaves with a darker zone in the centre, the flowers are white with a slight pink tinge at the base & each flowering stalk has about 5-16 flowers.
P. Multibracteatum is a spreading shrub which reaches to about 50 cm/20 inches in height.
The name “multibracteatum” refers to the many bracts of this plant and is native to East Africa, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan & Arabia. It is ideal for pots or planted in the garden.
The new plant Pelargonium multibracteatum is doing well and has some new leaf growth on its thick stems.
It has spreading branches and slightly scented light green circular leaves, lobed with rounded margins and purple zoned. When in bloom the flowers are white with a slight shade of pink at the center, and each flowering stalk bears up to 10 flowers.
The name multibracteatum refers to the numerous bracts of this plant and is native to East Africa, Tanzania to Ethiopia where it grows to about 30 cm in height under the section Cironium.
There may be a delay with the dispatch of orders at this time due to temporary suspension of the Elta Hellenic post (problem with the IT system.) But hopefully it will be resolved in the coming days.
We are currently working on seed packet designs of all pelargonium species available in our store. They contain a small but detailed description of each plant with a outline drawing of the flower & leaves.
P. capitatum is a beautiful elegant pelargonium with delicate trailing stems which can look stunning in large pots. The attractive leaves are soft ovate & crinkled with a rose scent and bears lovely 10-12 mauve-pink flowers. The highly scented perfume of rose released from its soft ovate leaves is simply beautiful when added to potpourri, fragrant pillows, or to add flavour to food & beverages such as cakes, desserts, pastry, sugar, bread, chocolates, jelly, jam, ice cream, ice cubes, rice pudding, syrup, salads tea, cocktails, lemonade, fruit drinks and much more. Finger bowls with scented leaves were placed on the table during meals by the Victorians to keep their hand clean during each course. The Victorian sponge cake was also very popular during the 1800’s when scented leaves were added to the base of a tin with the mix added on top before baking, then removed when cool. Rose or graveolens leaves were added to a regular sponge mix and P. tomentosum- peppermint-scented leaves to the chocolate flavoured sponge. The flowers can be candied and used to decorate cakes, they are edible and can look very attractive.
The long trailing stems of P. capitatum growing in a pot
Other scented leaf pelargoniums such as P. crispum, P. quercifolium, P. graveolens, P. tomentosum & P. citronellum which all have their own unique scented leaf fragrance can also be added to food & drinks as well as a several hybrids that are related to these species. They can also be added to towels to keep its freshness and help to deter moths. Essential oil is extracted from its leaves and is often used in aromatherapy, candles, soap, perfume and skincare products. The soft leaves can also be applied to the hands to soften hard skin and scratches.
Attar of roses is a popular cultivar of P. capitatum, the pinnately lobed leaves have a stronger rose scent and are rougher in texture with fine hairs, the flowers are also smaller & pinker in colour. Attar means highly perfumed in Persian and refers to its strong rose-like scent on the leaves, essential oil is extracted from its leaves and are used as a substitute for rose essential because it is less expressive to produce.
Rober’s lemon rose has large lemony rose-scented triangular irregular three-lobed leaves which are grey-green and soft to the touch, the origins of this hybrid are unclear, possibly a cultivar of P. graveolens or a hybrid of P. capitatum x P. x limoneum, The flowers are purple-pink with darker markings and is also known as the tomato geranium because its leaves resemble that of a tomato plant.
P. ‘pink capitatum’ is a variety of P. Capitatum but with larger striking flowers of pale pink with shades of darker pink around the edges of the petals. The leaves look similar to that of P. capitatum which are lobed but the scent differs and has a sweet rose lemon elder flower fragrance. This plant is also said to bloom for many months of the year.
P. ‘round leaf rose’ is another capitatum variety, a sprawling plant with pink reddish flowers and darker red veins, the leaves are rounded, ruffled and slightly toothed with lemon rose scent.
P. x asperum is a hybrid between P. capitatum and P. radens, it is used commercially for its essential oil which is obtained from its leaves. It has white to pale pink flowers with darker markings and has deeply divided leaves with soft hairs with a mint rose scent.
P. ‘Atomic snowflake’ has pungent scented leaves which are three-lobed and edged with white, the flowers bear striking mauve colour flowers with darker markings and is great as a container plant or for a flower border.
Pelargonium Species world 