Flowers

Looking for a versatile and adorable smell flower to institute this season ? The scented geranium is a fantastical option for gardens of all eccentric and sizes ! In this article , gardening expert and skip bloom husbandman Taylor Sievers shares her favorite scented geranium to add to your indoor or outdoor garden this season .

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scented geraniums

We ’ve all pick up of the bright round blooms andinteresting foliage of geraniums(known as zonal geraniums ) . Still , many do n’t know there ’s an entirely distinct group of geranium in the genusPelargoniumthat are n’t known for their blooms .

Instead of acclaim for big , showy flower , the perfumed geraniums are esteem for their fragrant foliation . Apple , slew , strawberry mark , rose , and Cocos nucifera are just a few of the scents in this unique radical of plants !

sweet-smelling geraniums are tender perennials that are hardy to USDA zona 9 to 10 . Most prefer full sun , but some ( like the mint - scented geranium ) will thrive in part nuance . They are particularly heat and drought - large-minded and prefer sandy or loamy ground . They make excellent container works , spreading border flora , and even houseplants !

Close-up of a flowering plant ‘Attar of Roses’ (Pelargonium capitatum) against a blurred background of green foliage. It is a fragrant plant known for its fragrant leaves and beautiful flowers. The plant has small, velvety, gray-green leaves with deep lobes, palmately compound. The flowers of ‘Attar of Roses’ are small and delicate, with five petals. They are a pale pink shade with thin dark purple veins on the top two petals. Flowers are collected in inflorescences on long stems.

sweet geraniums are extremely easy to propagate from cutting , even for the novice gardener . By taking cuttings in the fall and keeping the cuttings inside over winter , you could have sweet-scented geraniums in your garden each season ! I am very strict about hold open cuttings to overwinter inside so I can enjoy this foliage in the garden or in a freshly - cut flower nosegay .

Most scented geranium are aboriginal to Southern Africa , where they rise as recurrent in rocky , dry areas , butothers have been discoveredin Australia , eastern Africa , New Zealand , the Middle East , and various island like Madagascar .

Eager to learn more about scented geraniums ? In this clause , I ’ll discuss 17 different kind / species of scented pelargoniums for your home and garden .

Close-up of a flowering plant ‘Sweet Mimosa’ P. hybrida against a blurred background. The plant has lobed bright green leaves with a slightly succulent texture. The plant forms a cluster of small, pale pink, five-petalled flowers with purple strokes on the upper petals.

‘Attar of Roses’P. capitatum

Of the scented geranium variety , ‘ Attar of Roses ’ seems to be the most pop and the most wide cultivated ( and useable for leverage ) . Because of its potent , enticing “ rose ” scent , this perfumed geranium ’s essential vegetable oil was used as a substitute for the real and costlyAttar of Roses , an essential oil made from Damask or centifolia rose petals that was widely used in perfumery .

The parting of ‘ Attar of Roses ’ scented geranium are bright green and quietly textured when you scratch your fingers across them . The flowers are pinkish . This variety can rise as gamey as 2 ½ animal foot grandiloquent and is useful as verdure in a veer flower arrangement . I love to use this variety in bouquet , personally !

‘Sweet Mimosa’P. hybrida

‘ Sweet Mimosa ’ scented geranium has potential the large flowers of all the scented geraniums . This miscellanea has wizard shell - pink bloom with red coral to ruby brushing or stripping on some of the petal . The aroma is like a mixture of lemon and rose .

Thefoliageof ‘ Sweet Mimosa ’ scented geranium is dark light-green , lobate , and slightly blurred . This potpourri can attain about 18 inch in height and makes a groovy standalone container works .

‘Lemona’P. crispum

‘ Lemona ’ scented geranium has heavily fringed , rough , dark green leaves with a sweet lemon fragrance . The bloom are relatively expectant for a scented geranium with lavender – pink petal and raspberry - pink marks towards the shopping mall of the heyday .

‘ Lemona ’ will reach about 1 ½ base improbable and is relatively leafy and compact , which makes this variety excellent for patio pot . expend the farewell as aculinary herbaceous plant or garnishto a dish aerial to impart a sharp lemon feeling .

‘Orange Fizz’P. citriodorum

‘ Orange Fizz ’ scented geranium hasheavily textured leaves(described as leathery ) that are a lighter subtlety of unripe than many other scented geranium . The flower are big , with a turgid raspberry - pink to maroon patch on the upper petal . The leaves have a delicious citrus odor .

‘ Orange Fizz ’ can attain up to 2 feet tall . Use this odoriferous geranium in a pot or to line a pathway in the garden .

‘Citronella’P. citrosum

wide tame and sold at plant glasshouse and big box depot as “ Mosquito Plant , ” the ‘ Citronella ’ sweet geranium istouted to repel insectslike the mosquito ( although this claim has been show false ) .

disregardless , the leaf have a crisp citrusy scent . The “ citronella ” smell is the result of the citronellal , a lemon - scented component part recover in many lemon - scented plant like lemongrass and lemon balm .

Regardless of its effectiveness against warding off plaguey pests , ‘ Citronella ’ has very finely cut , lacy , wakeful immature leave of absence . The plant is productive and reaches a tallness of 2 to 4 feet tall . apply it in a patio pot or for landscape gardening . The flowers are not as rife but are white-hot to pale pink with pinkish markings .

Close-up of a blooming Geranium ‘Lemona’ (Pelargonium crispum) against a blurred background of potted plants. This is a special variety known for its lemon-scented leaves and delicate flowers. The leaves of ‘Lemon’ geranium are small and deeply lobed, giving them an intricate and attractive appearance. They are bright green in color and have a distinct lemon flavor. Geranium forms brushes of small delicate flowers, pale pink with rich pink spots on the petals.

‘Chocolate Peppermint’P. tomentosum

‘ drinking chocolate peppermint candy ’ scented geranium has a pure Mentha piperita scent with interesting foliage that kick in rise to the use of the tidings “ coffee ” in its name . The farewell are soft , lobate , and light green with a dark chocolate - colored or maroon midpoint .

‘ deep brown Eucalyptus amygdalina ’ flowers are pale pink with dark pink markings . This variety is not excessively floriferous . Rather than ‘ Chocolate Peppermint ’ regarded purely asP. tomentosum , some say this variety was actually get from a cross between the ‘ Peppermint ’ sweet-smelling geranium ( P. tomentosum ) and ‘ Giant Oak ’ odorous geranium ( P. quercifolium ) .

‘Grey Lady Plymouth’P. graveolens

‘ Grey Lady Plymouth ’ perfumed geranium boasts a sparse white line around the edges of its very fine cut leaves . The leaves are shade in the color of sage greenish . Flowers of ‘ Grey Lady Plymouth ’ can be pink or lavender . The farewell are scented like a rose wine with slightly fruity overtones . Many loan-blend have been bring forth usingP. graveolens .

‘ Grey Lady Plymouth ’ is tout to be a keen houseplant because of its compact , mannerly sizing . It rarely farm past 18 in . Its quite close relative , ‘ Lady Plymouth , ’ has more white around the edges but does not have as warm of a scent to its leaves .

‘Peppermint’P. tomentosum

Leaves of the ‘ Eucalyptus amygdalina ’ sweet-smelling geranium are unremarkably easy to distinguish from others because of their red gum olfactory property and soft , wooly texture . The maple - shaped leave almost beam due to all the little white hairs incubate the surface of the leaves .

‘ Peppermint ’ scented geranium and the other mint - scented geraniums relish a dappled or shady part in the garden compared to many of the other scented geraniums , which require full sunlight . The industrial plant is 1 to 2 feet tall and is well produce in containers or as a ground cover near a garden path .

‘Mabel Grey’P. citronellum

It seems that there was much debate about ‘ Mabel Grey ’ scented geranium when it came to classification . In the eighties , this mixture was last severalize as its own metal money rather than a bare cross . The perfume of ‘ Mabel Grey ’ is pronounce to be “ more lemony than lemon ” .

The leaves of this variety are very distinct compared to the maple - shaped or finely - cut down leaves of other odoriferous geraniums . I would describe ‘ Mabel Grey ’ as give fine - lobed hemp - shape leaves that are rough to the touch and a shade of faint ho-hum super C .

The flowers are lilac with cherry-red splotches and larger than many perfumed geranium varieties . This variety could be strained “ as a standard ” , which means trained into more of a tree diagram - alike drug abuse .

Close-up of a blooming geranium ‘Orange Fizz’ P. citriodorum against a blurred background. This is a special variety known for its citrus leaves and bright pink flowers. The leaves of the ‘Orange Fizz’ geranium are bright green and have deep lobes and slightly serrated edges. The flower consists of five petals and is held above the foliage on a long stem. Pale pink flower with purple strokes on the top two petals.

‘Strawberry’ or ‘Lady Scarborough’P. x scarboroviae

‘ strawberry mark ’ scented geranium has pallid green , round , rumple - border leaves that emit a sweet strawberry - citrus fragrance . The flowers range from pink to light pink , with disconsolate pink marks on the upper petals . This species is said to be “ exceptionally showy ” for a scented geranium .

The ‘ Strawberry ’ geranium issuitable for hanging basketsor the landscape painting and touch 1 to 2 ft in height . Another name for this variety is ‘ Countess of Scarborough ’ .

‘Skeleton Rose’ or ‘Dr. Livingston’P. radens

The lacy , “ rasp - allow ” leaf of ‘ Skeleton Rose ’ scented geranium sounds and looks just like it is save . The leaves are very finely - cut , like a “ skeleton ” of a leafage . The foliage smells of lemony rose . And thecitronellal contentis said to be100 times higherthan ‘ Citrosa ’ , the “ Citronella Plant ” that was in the first place thought to repel mosquitoes .

‘ Skeleton Rose ’ or ‘ Dr. Livingston ’ scented geranium is quite mannerly when pinched , and many gardeners notice that it allow for a lot of interest in the garden . It is not as free - anthesis as other sweet-scented geraniums . Theflowersare pallid - pinkish with deep Bronx cheer streaks on the upper flower petal .

‘Apple’P. odoratissimum

‘ Apple ’ scented geranium is a variety that has been around for quite some time ( and there are many other apple - scented diverseness , too ) . The stems are retentive with a trail habit . For this reason , ‘ Apple ’ scented geranium would be a great candidate for a hanging basket .

In the landscape , it is well grow as a border plant and is quite well-mannered in growth use , only reach about 18 inches all around .

‘ Apple’scented geranium has wavy - edged leaves that are very genuine green ( called pea plant - cat valium by some ) . The flower are white . This miscellanea will readily interbreed - pollinate with others in the garden and therefore is the ancestor of many other scented geranium miscellany with orchard apple tree or nutmeg - scented foliation .

Close-up of a flowering Geranium ‘Citronella’ (Pelargonium citrosum) plant against a blurred background. This is a special variety known for its strong lemon scent and insect repellency. Geranium leaves are bright green and have deep lobes, giving the plant an attractive and textured appearance. Geranium ‘Citronella’ produces small and delicate flowers that have pale pink petals with purple veins.

‘French Lace’ or ‘Variegated Prince Rupert’P. x crispum

The leaves of ‘ French Lace ’ are modest , tri - lobate , and crinkly in appearance . What tell apart ‘ Gallic Lace ’ from othercrispumvarieties is the ointment diversification of the leave along the allowance . This odorous geranium let out a fine lemony scent . The flowers are little and lilac in color .

‘ Gallic Lace ’ scented geranium is well used as a container plant . This variety , in particular , is very tender to coolheaded , moist conditions . tweet the flora will also make it more compact and shapely , as sometimes it can be quite lanky in growth . ‘ French Lace ’ would make an splendid houseplant .

‘Fair Ellen’ or Oak-LeavedP. quercifolium

The farewell of ‘ Fair Ellen ’ scented geranium are shaped like oak leaves , more oval in form than other perfumed geranium leave of absence because of the many dentations . The center of the green foliage has a unique maroon center and maroon shading to some of the vena .

The fragrance of the leaves is described as a “ arboreous - lemon scent ” oralmond - scented . The blooms are lavender with a carmine marrow . ‘ fairish Ellen ’ is more floriferous than many other scented geraniums .

Other oak - leaved varieties are ‘ Giant Oak ’ and ‘ Village Oak . ’ It appear that ‘ sightly Ellen ’ may often be considered synonymous with ‘ Village Oak , ’ although true ‘ Village Oak ’ geranium are read to be a trivial more ego - contained in development than ‘ mediocre Ellen . ’

Close-up of leaves of Geranium ‘Chocolate Peppermint’ (Pelargonium tomentosum). This variety is known for its fragrant leaves with chocolate and mint aromas. Geranium ‘Chocolate Peppermint’ is a hanging or cascading plant. The plant forms a dense mat of foliage that spreads along the edges or spreads along the ground. The leaves of the ‘Chocolate Mint’ geranium are medium, palmately lobed, with a velvety texture. The foliage is bright green with brownish markings in the center.

The oak tree - leaved perfumed geraniums look to bring forth interracial emotion in olfactory property . Some varieties give off bouquet that are not as pleasing to certain people , as mentioned in the far-famed horticulturist Louise Beebe Wilder ’s book , The Fragrant Garden .

Nutmeg Scented GeraniumP. x fragrans

The nutmeg - scented geranium has some of the most charming leaves . in person , I experience this assortment is very productive . The leaves are very flaccid , with gentle wave along the edges . They are a cool grey - green colour that smells like – you guessed it – sweetened and spicy Myristica fragrans . The bloom are small and lily-white with flushed veins .

Some say this variety has beensold under many names , including ‘ Buffalo Bill ’ , ‘ Logee ’ , and ‘ Old Spice ’ . The nutmeg tree - scented geranium is a great candidate for an indoor or patio pot , reach out up to 12 inches magniloquent in height .

Fragrans – scentedgeranium is believed to have the Malus pumila - scented geranium in its parentage , so you may pick up a thin hint of snappy apple with the Myristica fragrans smell .

Close-up of a flowering Geranium ‘Grey Lady Plymouth’ (Pelargonium graveolens) plant indoors against a blurred background. This variety is known for its attractive variegated leaves and delightful rose scent. The leaves of the ‘Grey Lady Plymouth’ geranium are variegated with hints of green and creamy white. The plant produces small, five-petalled, delicate lavender-pink flowers with deep pink veins.

‘Snowflake Rose’P. x capitatum

Another rose - scented variety is the ‘ Snowflake Rose . ’ The leaves are alone in that they are rounder with splotches , streaks , or flecks of ashen . Scientists believe that the flecking is due to a virus because sometimes the plants will turn back to plain dark-green leave-taking after a metre .

When propagating , ensure to select cut with leaves that have the most coloring to hold the streaking and spot in your new plant .

‘ Snowflake Rose ’ perfumed geranium is peculiarly useful as a hanging basket plant or in the landscape as a sprawling ground cover because it can spread as much as 4 feet . The plant does not usually reach more than 20 inches high , so it is a low - growing footing cover . It is not as suited as a houseplant due to its spread nature .

Close-up of a flowering plant Geranium ‘Peppermint’ (Pelargonium tomentosum). This variety is known for its fragrant leaves with a refreshing peppermint scent. The leaves of Geranium ‘Peppermint’ are medium, deeply lobed, with a velvety texture and serrated edges. The leaves are bright green. Geranium ‘Peppermint’ produces small and delicate white flowers with two oval upper petals and three narrow elongated lower ones. The flowers appear in inflorescences above the leaves, giving the plant a touch of elegance.

As with many of the scented geranium , this variety can be perplexing to procure or discover because other names like ‘ Scheidts Ice Crystal Rose ’ or ‘ Both ’s Snowflake Rose ’ are link with it . Look specifically for Pelargonium ‘ snow bunting ’ to get this one !

Coconut-Scented GeraniumP. grossulariodes

Almost all scented geraniums are considered herbaceous perennials in their instinctive habitatexcept the coconut - perfumed geranium , which is an yearly .

This specie is also alone because it can withstand exceedingly gamey temperatures ( 120 degrees F ) but will also thrive in the shadowed spots of the garden .

The coconut - perfumed geranium grows low and has a spread nature . The leaves are small and round or kidney - shaped . The color of the leaf is late green . The flowers graze in color from pink to lavender . The odor of the leaf is described as either “ coconut ” or rosiness - mint - lemon - clove .

Close-up of a flowering Geranium ‘Mabel Grey’ (Pelargonium citronellum) plant on a raised bed in a garden. This variety is known for its beautiful grey-green leaves and citrusy citronella aroma. Geranium leaves are grey-green in color, with a velvety texture and deep lobes, giving them a slightly lacy appearance. Geranium produces small and delicate lavender-pink five-petalled flowers with purple veins on the top two petals.

It is of import to note that many of the scented geranium in this article and throughout the world have been used as culinary dialect in various dishes and drink , but the coconut - sweet geranium is consider anabortifacientand can be very dangerous . Do not ingest this plant .

Final Thoughts

As you’re able to see , thePelargoniumgenus is full of surprise regarding shapes , colors , and smells ! This once - popular garden plant deserves a daub in your garden , and I honestly ca n’t conceive more people do n’t bonk about these fragrant geraniums .

odorous geranium are easy to propagate , drouth tolerant , and make great potted plant or houseplant , calculate on the variety . The handsome question is , which olfactory property will you choose for your garden ?

Close-up of a flowering plant Geranium ‘Strawberry’ or ‘Lady Scarborough’ P. x scarboroviae in a garden, against a blurred background. Geranium leaves are deeply lobed or palmate in shape, giving them an attractive and textured appearance. Geranium ‘Strawberry’ produces bright flowers that have shades of soft lavender and purple veins. The flowers have five petals, the top two of which are oval with purple veins, and the bottom three petals are thin and narrow with pale purple spots in the center.

Close-up of a flowering geranium plant ‘Skeleton Rose’ or ‘Dr. Livingston' P. radens on a blurry green background. Geranium ‘Dr. Livingston' is a compact and bushy plant, with curly growth, forming a dense and round shape. Geranium leaves are dark green in color and have a somewhat rounded and slightly lobed shape. They are known for their slightly serrated edges and have a matte, velvety texture. Geranium produces small but vibrant flowers in shades of purple and lavender. The flowers are five-petalled and are held above the foliage on long stems.

Close-up of a flowering plant Geranium ‘Apple’ (Pelargonium odoratissimum) against a blurred foliage background. It is a compact and bushy plant that forms a dense mound of foliage. Geranium leaves are medium green in color and round in shape with slightly lobed margins and a velvety texture. The plant produces small, delicate, white, five-petalled flowers. Petals are elongated, narrow, with thin purple veins on the top two.

Top view, close-up of a Geranium ‘Variegated Prince Rupert’ (Pelargonium x crispum) plant in a garden. This cultivar is commonly known as the variegated lemon-scented geranium. It has an upright growth with several stems extending from the base. Geranium leaves are variegated with shades of green and creamy white, creating visually striking lace-like foliage. The leaves have deep lobes and notches.

Close-up of a flowering plant Geranium Oak-Leaved (Pelargonium quercifolium) on a green blurred background. This is a unique variety of geranium known for its oak leaves. The foliage has a textured and jagged appearance, reminiscent of intricately divided oak leaves. The leaves are green in color, which gives the plant an interesting and unique visual element. Geranium Oak-Leaved produces small, delicate flowers that are lavender-pink in color.

Top view, close-up of a Geranium Nutmeg Scented (Pelargonium x fragrans) plant in a sunny garden. It is a compact and bushy plant with upright growth. Geranium leaves are green, deeply lobed or dissected, giving them a complex and delicate appearance, slightly reminiscent of parsley leaves.

Close-up of ‘Snowflake Rose’ P. x capitatum geranium flowers against a blurred background of pale green lobed foliage. The flowers are small, five-petalled, growing in a cluster towering above the foliage. Flowers consist of five individual petals arranged symmetrically. The petals are a soft pink with a paler pink towards the center of the flower. The top two petals have thin purple veins.

Top view, close-up of a Geranium Coconut-Scented (Pelargonium grossulariodes) plant against a blurred background. This variety is known for its delicious coconut flavor. The leaves are green in color and have a round or lobed shape with serrated edges. The foliage has a textured look and is slightly fuzzy to the touch. .