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
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.
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.
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. betulinum is an attractive sprawling plant with woody branches that can spread over quite a large area. The leaves are small ovate & camphor scented and resemble that of a birch leaf which is why it also goes by the name ‘Birch leaved pelargonium’. The large flowers are strikingly appealing, pink or purple colour with darker markings on the upper petals, which flowers in Spring and Summer. This plant is native to the Western coast of South Africa in sandy areas from Yzerfontein to Knysna.
P. glutinosum is an upright branching pelargonium with greenish soft stems which becomes more woodier as it matures, the stems then turn more brownish in colour. The triangular sticky leaves have a balm/balsam scent, mid-green to dark green colour and are palmately lobed. The beautiful flowers are of a delicate shade of pastel pink with darker markings on the upper petals. This plant is native to the Western Cape in various habitats, where three different forms exist. Usually growing near moving water with moist conditions and on mountainsides.
pelargonium vitifolium
Pelargonium vitifolium is another pelargonium that becomes woodier as it matures, when young it has soft green stems covered in hairs that turns brown over time. It is an upright branching shrub with heart-shaped coarsely toothed leaves that resembles a vine leaf in shape and has a lemony pungent scent. The flowers are a delicate shade of pink with darker markings on the upper petals, which can also vary in colour from white to pale purple. It is native to South Africa in the Western Cape, in areas of the South & South West where it grows in valleys close to streams.
pelargonium greytonense
Pelargonium greytonense also has woody stems when mature, it also has very tiny greenish hairs as well as some occurring longer hairs which later turn brown. The aromatic sweet-scented 3 lobed shallow leaves are palm-like in shape, the flowers can vary from light pink to white with darker markings on the upper petals. This plant is native to a small area of the Western Cape, mainly in the South West where it grows on mountain slopes and in narrow gorges. It was first discovered in the small town of Greyton in the Western Cape.
P. graveolens is a charming pelargonium with strong rosy-mint scented triangular deeply incised leaves which have a soft velvety texture. This plant is an upright branching shrub with soft green stems which become woody as it matures. The flowers range from delicate shades of pale pink to pale purple and with darker markings on the upper petals. This Pelargonium has been well known since the 17th century when its leaves were used in food & beverages, tea, potpourri and perfume. It is native to South Africa in areas of the Limpopo Province and also in parts of the Western Cape to the South East where it grows on mountainsides.
pelargonium inquinans
P. inquinans can vary in flower colour from very bright red scarlet, salmon, light pink or white flowers, to which the upper petals are a little smaller in size to the lower three. It is a woody shrub to which the branches become harder & woody as it matures. The leaves are circular or rounded with scalloped edges and have a velvety texture with red glandular hairs. It is native to areas of the Eastern Cape and grows at the edge of succulent scrub land in shale soil.
pelargonium longicaule
P. Longicaule is a low growing slightly woody shrub-let with long stems and dark green deeply divided leaves with a reddish tint, which grows woodier as it matures. It has beautiful white to pale pink flowers on long peduncles that resemble a butterfly in shape and is also known as the butterfly bush. It is native to South Africa in the South West Cape where it grows in sand dunes, sandstone and coastal areas.
Other woody species include Woody at base P. Incarnatum P. ovale P. tricolor P. grandiflorum P. laevigatum P. patulium- trailing P. divisifolium P. trifidum P. patulum
Woody branches P. magenteum P. xerophyon P. hirtum P. plurisectum- twiggy like with thin woody stems. P. multicaule P. suburbanum
Woody with age P. dichondrifolium P. abrotanifolium P. karrooicum Woody, Peeling bark and scales P. crithifolium P. laxum P. schizopetalum P. stipulaceum- thickened root stock P. cotyledonis Other -P. ionidiflorum- small woody shrub
Pelargonium scabrum is a charming pelargonium that has strong lemon-scented leaves with quite a rough texture & rhomboidal in shape. The flowers are white but can also be pink with purple markings on the upper petals and each flowering stalk contains about six flowers. It is an upright branching shrub that grows to about 100 cm /39 inches in height native to the Western Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape where it grows in dry, rocky and coastal areas which has summer and winter rainfall. The name ‘scabrum’ is derived from the Latin meaning having a raised texture, this refers to the leaves of this plant which is covered in rough hairs. Ideal for pots, tubs, fragrant gardens, rock gardens and succulent gardens. This plant prefers dry sandy loam soil conditions (PH. Acid/neutral) in full sun. It differs from the other strongly scented Pelargonium citronellum below by its larger leaves which are palmate in shape with pointed lobes and is also taller than P. scabrum reaching a height of 2 m. The flowers are also larger in size and purplish-pink in colour with darker markings on the upper petals. It is native to the Western Cape where it grows near streams or on hillsides.
pelargonium citronellum
Another lemon-scented pelargonium is P. crispum below which also has rough leaves but are much smaller in size with crisped margins. It is an upright plant that grows to about 70 cm /28 inches in height with large pink flowers and darker markings on the upper petals which shows some likeness to P. hermanniifolium.
Pelargonium vitifolium below has a somewhat lemony balm scent on the leaves, which resembles a vine leaf in shape with stiff hairs and are rough to the touch. It is a large upright shrub with coarsely toothed heart-shaped leaves, this shrub can grow quite large and may take over quite a wide area if not pruned in a Mediterranean type climate, it can also survive for short periods of frost or snow when fully grown.
This charming pelargonium with its soft delicate shades of yellow or cream coloured flowers are simple and elegant on long branching scapes, the larger upper petals have reddish purple veins and stamens that curve upwards making it easier for insects to pollinate it. The leaves are oval or rounded & toothed as well as having a tuberous root which is partly above ground with layers of thin brown bark. P. Oblongatum is native to the Northern cape where it grows in hot and dry areas of shrub land in the succulent Karoo, The leaves usually appear during the winter months after a rainy period at ground level while protecting the smaller succulents below, the flowers begin to bloom in October to November, but remains dormant during the Summer. The name oblong refers to long tuber of this plant which grows to a thickness of 15 cm’s, to which the whole shrub reaches a height of about 30 cm’s, listed under the Hoarea section. This plant was first discovered by William John Burchell during his travels to South Africa, an explorer who collected thousands of specimens for the gardens of Kew.
A hybrid of this species pelargonium includes P. oblongatum x P. Fulgidum ( pictured right) which has striking pinkish red flowers with dark red veins, arranged on long flower stalks, the upper petals are much larger and rounded than the three lower petals, which are long and thin. The leaves are also smaller than that of P. Oblongatum which have rounded teeth.
Another colour variation of Pelargonium oblongatum x fulgidum has very pale pink flowers with dark pinkish red veins and light green sepals that are arranged on long brownish red flower stalks ( pictured below)
It is crossed with Pelargonium fulgidum (pictured below) which has brightly coloured scarlet or pinky red flowers arranged on long flower stalks each having four to nine flowers. The leaves are oblong to cordate with very small greyish hairs that have a soft texture and three to six lobes that curve backwards. P. Fulgidum is a low growing plant which reaches a height of about 40 to 100 cm’s and is native to the Western cape where it grows in sandy areas and hillsides usually among granite ,appearing in winter during the rainy season. Its name fulgidum is derived from the Latin word “Fulgidus” meaning having brightly coloured flowers, to which many hybrids are descended from this plant.
Another hybrid is P. oblongatum x hystrix ( pictured below) which has white flowers and dark reddish veins on the upper petals which fold backwards, the centre of the flower and sepals are light green with long stamens.
The hybrid is crossed with Pelargonium hystrix (below) which has white or light cream coloured flowers, with dark reddish veins on its narrow and rectangular petals. It is a low growing succulent like shrub with thick stems and continuous spikes or stipules, which is why this plant goes by the name hystrix as it is derived from the word “hystrichos” meaning porcupine, the leaves are oval and pinnately divided. P. hystrix is native to the South Western cape and western parts of the Karoo. usually growing under larger plants or in dry areas when it is dormant during the Summer months. This plant was discovered by Francis Masson, the Scottish gardener and botanist during the 1700’s, which was brought to the gardens of Kew.
Other hybrids of Pelargonium oblongatum include: P. oblongatum x radicatum- has about 15 or more small white flowers arranged on a long flowering stem, with reddish pink markings on the upper petals. P. seifcifolium x oblongatum- has attractive bright purplely pink flowers with dark purple veins, the upper petals are much larger than the lower. P. oblongatum x cucullatum- it has similar flowers to that of P. Cucullatum but they are much lighter in colour.
These Scrumptious and flavoursome scones are delicious drizzled with honey and walnuts or simply a spreading of jam, The herbs rosemary and thyme create a piney and minty flavour along with the balsam and lemony taste of the Pelargonium citronellum leaves, a lovely addition to your coffee or tea break.
Ingredients
225g (8oz) self raising flour (or plain flour with 1 tablespoon baking powder) 5ml (1tsp) baking powder 50g margarine or butter cut into small pieces 1 egg A little milk A pinch of salt or 1-2 tablespoons of sugar (depending on taste) 2-3 sprigs of rosemary, leaves finely chopped 2-3 sprigs of thyme, leaves taken off stalk 1-2 leaves of pelargonium citronellum A Peel of half a lemon finely chopped or grated Topping honey and or walnuts or jam
To prepare Sift the self raising flour with the added baking powder into a mixing bowl, add the margarine and rub in lightly with your fingers & thumbs above the bowl until the texture is similar to that of fine breadcrumbs. If you have a sweet tooth add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar or just a pinch of salt as the drizzle of honey will act as a natural sweetener. You can also add a little olive oil if you like. Add the finely chopped rosemary leaves and thyme as well as the finally chopped lemon peel and pelargonium citronellum leaves. Mix together in the flour mixture then make a well in the centre and add a beaten egg, stir the contents together adding a little milk until you reach the right consistency to form a soft dough. Knead lightly to take out any visible cracks, then a light dusting of flour to your work area and rolling pin, roll out the dough with a thickness of approximately 2 cm’s. When the dough is rolled out carefully cutout the pieces using a 2 cm cutter or cut into triangles, add them to the baking tray lined with a baking sheet and place them in the oven for 8-10 at a temperature of 230 c (450 F mark 8) you can also replace the egg with soya or almond milk. After baking, cut the scone in half and add a layer of honey and or walnuts, or jam served with a refreshment such as tea or coffee.
Pelargonium anethifolium has been greatly admired over recent years for its lovely delicate flowers which range in colour from yellow, green to pink violet with dark reddish markings that are scented at night. The leaves are feathery with traces of red, as well as a tint visible on the petioles, also consisting of an underground tuberous root. This plant has some similarities to pelargonium triste which may have been collected and taken to Europe during the times of exploration in the Cape possibly believing that it was the same species, P. anethifolium was not identified as a separate species until 1835. The name anethifolium refers to the leaves of the dill plant Anethum gravelens, a herb and spice which is very similar to the leaves of this plant. Pelargonium anethifolim is native to South Western areas of the Cape and grows to about 50 cm’s in height.
A hybrid of this pelargonium includes P. gibbosum x P. anethitfolium which has various forms of flower types: The pale pink form (right) has beautiful delicate flowers of pastel pink with a slight flush of darker pink on the petals, arranged on an long, elegant flower stalk, containing up to eleven flowers, but they carry no scent. It is crossed with Pelargonium gibbosum known as the gouty pelargonium because of its swollen nodes on long scrambling branches. The flowers vary from a slight orangey yellow to a brownish yellow with 6-14 flowers on each flower stalk. The leaves are succulent like with a leathery texture and has sharp and irregular leaf margins or lobed. P. gibbosum becomes more woody as it ages and grows to about 40 to 60 cm’s in height, native to the Western cape where it grows in sandy and stony areas not far from the coast.
The peachy pink flower type (left) appears to be smaller in size than the light pink, but the mixture of orange and pink colours with a dash of yellow in the centre makes this flower simply unique. The flowers are arranged on a long flower stalk which contains up to eleven flowers, the sepals are also fairly long compared to the flower size and the leaves are also very decorative.
Another hybrid is P. anethifolium x fulgidum which also has various flower forms: The deep red type (right) has striking pale pink or white flowers with splashes of deep red on the petals, this form looks more like a hybrid but is a very attractive plant and the leaves are still rather similar to that of P. Anethifolium. The white form (below) with splashes of pale pink are simple but charming with just that added flush of bright pink upon the white delicate flowers.
This hybrid is crossed with pelargonium fulgidum which has bright scarlet or deep purplish red flowers on long flower stalks. It is a low growing shrub with scrambling foliage & succulent like stems with leaves that are either rectangular or heart shaped with finely toothed leaf margins. P. Fulgidum is native to Western coastal areas of South Africa usually on sandy hillsides or growing within rock formations of granite.
Pelargonium Species world 