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Pelargonium zonale

zonal geranium

One parent of most zonal pelargoniums, P. zonale is an erect, bushy plant with fleshy stems turning woody with age and smooth, rounded, mid-green leaves with a narrow, dark green zone. Generally grows up to 1m but up to 3m against a wall under glass. Clusters of narrow-petalled, pink, white or purple flowers can be produced virtually all year in warm, bright conditions, otherwise in summer and early autumn

Other common names

horseshoe geranium
zonal pelargonium

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Ultimate height

1–1.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

H1C

Botanical details

Family: Geraniaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Pelargonium can be perennials, sub-shrubs or shrubs, sometimes succulent and mostly evergreen, with palmately lobed or pinnately divided leaves and clusters of slightly irregular, 5-petalled flowers
Name status: Correct
Plant range: Temp S Africa

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Remove spent flowers. To overwinter, grow small plants in late summer from cuttings or cut back old plants by one third and lift for storage in frost-free place to repot in spring when growth resumes. May also be grown permanently in a cool greenhouse or conservatory, or as a houseplant

Propagation

Take softwood cuttings in summer and overwinter plants in frost free conditions or take softwood cuttings in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Patio and container plants

Pruning

Deadhead regularly. Old plants can be regenerated by cutting back hard in spring

Pests

May be susceptible to vine weevil, leafhoppers, caterpillars, thrips, fungus gnats and aphids

Diseases

May be susceptible to foot and root rots in wet soils, grey moulds, pelargonium rust and and a virus

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