This beautiful and useful flower, which came to our country from Europe in the 17th century, very quickly gained unprecedented popularity. However, the birthplace of the geranium plant is hot South Africa and India smelling of spices. Most botanists agree that this flower was distributed even on the ancient supercontinent Gondwana, uniting India, Australia and Africa.
Only at the end of the 16th century was geranium brought to Great Britain from South Africa. It should be noted that it was at this time that Europe became a center for the selection and cultivation of rare species of edible and ornamental plants. This was facilitated by the development of English and Spanish sailors of the new exotic lands of Africa and India. The homeland of geranium, the varieties of which we know and grow today, is Great Britain. In those days, it was popular to bring interesting representatives of flora and fauna to expand the catalogs of royal gardens and menageries, as well as to meet the needs of wealthy breeders.
The huge Geranium family includes two genera of plants. The first representative is pelargonium, which can be found on the windowsills of many in our country. The second kind is geranium itself. This flower is suitable both for growing at home, and for planting in the front garden in the open ground. Many beginner and experienced flower growers often confuse pelargonium and geranium: the homeland of the plant, the appearance and conditions of their maintenance are almost identical, but still uneven. The first genus has about 280 species, and the second - more than 430, but every year new representatives of this handsome home appear thanks to the tireless work of breeders from around the world. To distinguish one plant from another, you need to carefully study the flowers: in geraniums they will be radially symmetrical, collected in small semi-umbrellas and almost of the correct shape. But the inflorescences of pelargonium have bilaterally symmetrical zygomorphic flowers.
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The birthplace of the geranium plant is India, the most popular varieties come from there. It is also found in Africa. Let us dwell in more detail on several common plant species, which are the most beautiful representatives of this family.
Quadrangular geranium - a bush 30-70 cm high. Flowers appear in spring-summer (depending on the planting period) and look like a butterfly. South Africa - the birthplace of the plant is a quadrangular geranium. The color of the flowers can be from pale cream to light pink. The plant prefers well-lit window sills and a temperature of at least + 10 ° C. In spring and summer, geraniums are watered abundantly, and the cool season is moderate. As a soil, nutrient soil with good drainage is suitable.
Curly geranium is an excellent variety for growing at home. This shrub reaches a height of 30-60 cm and has a very extensive leaf system. The birthplace of curly geranium plants is South Africa (Cape Province). Flowers have a bright color from pink to deep purple, and fairly short legs. The first buds appear in July, and complete withering and ripening of micro seeds occurs in late August.
Any selected variety of pelargonium or geranium requires fertile soil, high-quality watering and a bright, well-ventilated place in the house or on the site. Despite the resistance of the plant to various diseases, root decay should not be allowed.