← All plants
Pelargoniums · Tender Geraniums

Pelargoniums · Tender Geraniums

Pelargonium · Zonale-, Peltatum- und Grandiflorum-Gruppen

Balcony Garden Sun PerennialMedium

For your Pelargoniums · Tender Geraniums

All matching products →
Pelargonium Fertiliser Pelargonium FertiliserFrom €9,85View product → Compost for Balcony & Flowering Plants Compost for Balcony & Flowering PlantsFrom €4,95View product →

Profile

Plant group
Pelargoniums · frost-sensitive bedding and container plants
Growth & habit
Depending on the group, upright and bushy, trailing, or woody at the older stems. Many are sold as annuals but can live for several years when overwintered appropriately.
Foliage
Often rounded to lobed leaves. Zonal types may show dark leaf bands, while ivy-leaved types have smoother, ivy-like foliage. Scented-leaved groups also differ in aroma.
Family
Geranium family · Geraniaceae
Origin
Garden forms bred mainly from species native to southern Africa
Height
Many bedding cultivars are about 20–60 cm tall; trailing forms develop longer stems
Bloom
Many bedding cultivars flower May–October until frost; regal types often earlier
Toxicity
Do not assume ornamental plants are edible. Certain species may irritate skin and can be harmful to pets.

Care calendar

Leaf emergence

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Overwintered plants resume stronger growth as light increases. Timing depends on winter conditions and cultivar.

Flowering / flower development

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Many bedding forms flower from late spring until frost. Regal types can flower earlier; care and cultivar affect duration.

Leaf fall

Complete autumn leaf fall is not required. Foliage may thin in cool winter quarters; remove rotten or diseased leaves.

Pruning & growth habit

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Shape as growth restarts in spring or reduce size before bringing plants indoors. Remove spent flowers during flowering.

Guidance for Germany and Central Europe. Position, weather, species and cultivar shift these windows; indoor and container plants also depend on their winter conditions.

Your seasonal care plan

  • Check moisture

    After the last frosts, gradually acclimatise plants to sun and outdoor conditions. Water moderately but thoroughly and allow drainage. Remove spent flower heads regularly and bring plants indoors before the first frost.

  • Feed active growth

    Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep

    Account for the stated dilution and nutrients already in the compost. Supplement only during active growth with roots in suitable condition.

    View product dosage and application →

  • Refresh the root space

    Mar · Apr · May

    Repot when roots fill the pot or the medium deteriorates. Loosen the root ball gently, preserve planting depth and allow excess water to drain.

    View product dosage and application →

  • Care through the darker months

    Oct · Nov · Dec · Jan · Feb · Mar

    Bring plants indoors before the first frost. Overwinter in bright, airy, frost-free conditions; water cool, cut-back plants sparingly. Restart gradually in spring and harden off.

Highlighted months are guidance, not fixed dates. Observe the plant, root ball and weather; water, feed and repot according to actual need.

Seasonal care intensity

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Seasonal guidance for Germany. Needs depend on location, weather and species. Check moisture in winter too; these markers are not a feeding schedule.

Peak care Active Reduced care

Care tips

  • Calendar for Germany/Central Europe. The annual bar shows typical care and growth, not a fixed flowering or feeding promise. After the last frosts, gradually acclimatise plants to sun and outdoor conditions. Water moderately but thoroughly and allow drainage. Remove spent flower heads regularly and bring plants indoors before the first frost.

Fruit & harvest

Fruit and seed formation

Pelargoniums can develop elongated beak-like seed heads, recalling a stork's bill. Seed set varies with cultivar and flower form.

Harvest and use

There is no general food harvest from bedding pelargoniums. Remove spent flowers to support continued bloom, or retain selected heads for seed. Uses of particular scented pelargoniums cannot be extended to every cultivar.

Plant knowledge at a glance

Position, benefits & character

Position & soil

Sunny and airy with good drainage. Harden off plants after protected growing. Check root balls more often in hot, small boxes without leaving them standing in water.

Distinctive features

The common name geranium refers here to Pelargonium. Mostly hardy cranesbills belong botanically to Geranium and need different seasonal care.

Benefits

Long summer interest in containers, trailing forms for balcony boxes and aromatic leaves for close enjoyment. Insect value depends partly on flower form and cultivar.

Partners & symbioses

Single flowers offer easier access to floral structures than heavily double forms. No special fungal or bacterial symbiosis is required for ordinary balcony growing.

Pruning & growth habit

For a compact bush, pinch young shoot tips selectively. For a standard, first preserve a leading stem. Remove spent flower heads at the stalk base without damaging neighbouring buds.

  1. 1. Choose healthy stock

    Check stems and leaves for rot and pests before pruning. Do not propagate diseased material.

  2. 2. Cut above a node

    Shorten stems above a healthy node with clean tools. Pinching young plants encourages branching.

  3. 3. Remove spent heads

    Remove spent flower heads with their stalks while preserving new buds. Take dead leaves out of dense plants.

Nursery forms

This overview explains nursery supply forms. It does not indicate current availability in the GREEN24 shop.

Bare-root

Ask a specialist nursery

Special overwintering methods exist; this is not usual retail stock for newly planted balcony boxes.

Root-balled

Not typical for this profile

Large nursery root-balled stock is unusual for pelargoniums.

Container-grown

Common form

Flowering potted plants and pre-planted bowls or hanging baskets.

Young plant

Common form

Rooted cuttings, young plugs and seed strains.

Shrub

Common form

Older bushy specimens, sometimes with woody stems.

Half-standard

Ask a specialist nursery

Possible as a trained low standard in specialist ranges.

Standard

Ask a specialist nursery

Pelargonium standards with a deliberately trained crown; support and maintenance are needed.

Feathered tree

Not typical for this profile

Not a typical retail form for this plant group.

Topiary

Not typical for this profile

Not a typical retail form for this plant group.

Propagation & grafting

Propagation

Propagate true to type from healthy stem cuttings; seed strains can also be sown. Establish young, well-rooted plants in time for the next season and keep them frost-free.

Grafting

Cuttings and seed are usual. A pelargonium standard is generally trained from a leading stem and crown; it is not automatically grafted.

Species & cultivars

Zonale-Gruppe

Upright bedding pelargoniums, often with a marked leaf zone; many flower colours.

Peltatum-Gruppe

Trailing ivy-leaved pelargoniums for boxes and hanging baskets.

Grandiflorum-/Regal-Gruppe

Regal pelargoniums with large, often marked flowers; flowering pattern depends on cultivar.

Duftpelargonien

Various species and cultivars with aromatic foliage; fragrance does not imply general edibility.

Pests & diseases

These signs support an initial assessment. Different causes may look alike; choose a treatment only after identifying the problem.

Assess yellow leaves

Check dense compost, prolonged wetness, drought stress and lack of light separately. Account for existing nutrients before feeding again.

Inspect tips and undersides

Watch for aphids, whiteflies and other sap-feeding insects. Identify infestations early and check overwintering plants regularly.

Avoid persistently wet foliage

Remove spent flowers and rotting leaves; improve spacing and airflow. Grey growth or rust-coloured pustules require accurate diagnosis.

Hardiness · USDA

Species-dependent

The example shows Pelargonium peltatum. Protect common balcony pelargoniums from frost and overwinter them frost-free; their cultivar groups do not share one hardiness rating.

Pelargonium peltatum
USDA 9b–10b

USDA zones describe long-term average winter extremes. Containers, young plants, wet soil, wind and late frost need separate consideration.

Understand USDA zones and maps →

Matching GREEN24 products

Matching fertilisers and substrates for your plant care.