Sweet Scented Geranium Profile

Sweet Scented Geranium, scientific name Pelargonium graveolens, is a kind of perennial herbaceous plant and flower type with very strong ornamental significance. It is loved by many friends because of the plant's volatile fragrance. Moreover, the application of Sweet Scented Geranium is relatively extensive.

Sweet Scented Geranium Picture

Characteristics of Sweet Scented Geranium

Sweet Scented Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) is a perennial herb or shrubby, up to 1 m tall. Stems are erect, base lignified, distally fleshy, densely clustered pilose, aromatic.

Leaves of sweet scented geranium are alternate; Stipules are broadly triangular or broadly ovate, 6-9 mm long, apex acute; Petiole is as long as leaf blade subequal, pilose; Leaf blade of Sweet Scented Geranium is  suborbicular, base cordate, 2 -- 10 cm in diam., palmately 5-7 lobes to middle or near base, lobes rectangular orbicular or lanceolate, lobules margin irregularly toothed or serrated, both surfaces hispid.

Inflorescence umbels of Sweet Scented Geranium are opposite to leaves, longer than leaves, with 5-12 flowers; Bracts are ovate, pubescent, margin greenish hairy; Pedicels are 3 -- 8 mm or almost sessile; Sepals are ovate, green, 6 -- 9 mm long, 2 -- 3 mm wide, apex acute, spur 4 -- 9 mm long; Petals of Sweet Scented Geranium are rosy or pink, twice as long as sepals, apex obtuse, upper 2 larger; Stamens are subequal to sepals, proximally spreading; Carpel is covered with fuzz.

Capsule of Sweet Scented Geranium ca. is 2 cm long, pilose. 

Sweet Scented Geranium Growth Conditions

Sweet Scented Geranium is a perennial herbaceous plant, which grows most vigorously at 2-3 years of age and begins to decline after 5 years.

Sweet Scented Geranium is temperature tolerant, drought tolerant, not cold resistant, afraid of waterlogging, and has no high requirement for water. Sweet Scented Geranium is suitable for growth in neutral or weakly alkaline soil. The growth of Sweet Scented Geranium requires sufficient sunshine, and sunlight has a good effect on its development and the increase of essential oil content. The areas with annual sunshine hours of 1100 -- 1300 hours can basically meet its growth requirements, and the oil content increases significantly when the annual sunshine hours are above 1500h. Therefore, the selection of cultivation areas for Sweet Scented Geranium should be dominated by sufficient sunshine and sunshine, requiring a deep soil layer, loose texture, rich in humus fertile sandy soil or loam soil, and heavy clay soil and low-lying land with poor drainage is not suitable for cultivation. The suitable range of planting Sweet Scented Geranium is required to be below 1800 meters above sea level and the frost period is less than 10 days. 

Sweet Scented Geranium Distribution

Sweet Scented Geranium originated in Morocco, Algeria, France, Egypt and other countries. Sweet Scented Geranium was introduced by Kunming plant in 1962, and has been successfully cultivated in Kunming, Yuxi, Shiping, Binchuan and other places. After that, Sweet Scented Geranium has been cultivated in gardens all over China.

How to Care for Sweet Scented Geranium

Sweet Scented Geranium Soil Care

Sweet Scented Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) requires fertile soil with good drainage. Potted soil can be sauteed soil, rice chaff ash, garden soil each 1/3, and then add a small amount of superphosphate mixed and mixed.

Sweet Scented Geranium Watering

Sweet Scented Geranium resistance to drought, afraid of water. Therefore, in the growth process, proper control of water. Watering too much, basin soil moisture content is too large, can cause barren or rotting roots. Spring and autumn Sweet Scented Geranium growth and flowering exuberant, and it can be appropriately poured some more, but also should be in order to keep the basin soil moist. Winter temperature is low, Sweet Scented Geranium growth is slow, should be watered as little as possible.

Sweet Scented Geranium Fertilizer

In the cultivation, in addition to the application of sufficient basal fertilizer, in the growing season of Sweet Scented Geranium, especially the flowering period, it can be applied every 7-10 days 1 time of thin liquid fertilizer. With decayed livestock and poultry manure add water dilution better, also can use decayed cake fertilizer water pouring application. 3 to 5 days before fertilization, little or no watering, pot soil drying irrigation, more conducive to root absorption of Sweet Scented Geranium.

Sweet Scented Geranium Lighting Requirements

Sweet Scented Geranium originated in South Africa, fond of the sunny, warm, well-ventilated environmental conditions. Spring and early summer light is not too strong, and Sweet Scented Geranium can be placed in a place with sufficient light, so that it receives sufficient light, but in the hot season of midsummer and early autumn, Sweet Scented Geranium should be placed in the shade, avoid strong light directly, otherwise, branches and leaves will be burned.

Sweet Scented Geranium Pruning

In order to make the Sweet Scented Geranium shape beautiful, more flowering, in the spring such as plant growth too prosperous, we can undertake thinning pruning. After flowering, cut off the remaining flowers and overgrown branches. Dormant period still undertakes pruning, cut the old leaf of Sweet Scented Geranium that sends yellow, sparse has been to a dense branch, undertake shortcuts to too long branches, in order to prepare dormant period passes, smoke unripe new branches, continue pregnant bud blossoms. In addition, Sweet Scented Geranium itself has a special smell and is rarely affected by insect pests.Therefore, there is no need for prevention.

Sweet Scented Geranium Uses

Botanical garden

Sweet Scented Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) dew can decorate rock garden, flower bed and flower border; Potted Sweet Scented Geranium can adorn the living room, bedroom, meeting place and other public places; It can also be used in cut flower production.

Economic

Sweet Scented Geranium from stems, leaves and flowers contain volatile aroma, can be extracted Sweet Scented Geranium oil, its main ingredients for geraniol, rose alcohol, geraniol, linalool, etc., can be as a substitute of rose oil, used for modulation essence, perfume, as cooking oil, soap and toothpaste and other additives, due to its high content of sesame oil and as one of the important raw material of spices industry.