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- Interesting facts from the history of geranium - video
An extensive genus of geraniums includes more than four hundred species, growing in nature in many parts of Europe, Asia and America. The types and varieties of perennial garden geraniums, as in the photo, amaze with a variety of sizes, shapes and colors of foliage, but their flowering, compared to indoor varieties, cannot be called lush. The inflorescences are at best a pair of corolla, and their range is much more modest.
But this does not prevent flower growers from giving their whole soul to garden geraniums. What is the beauty of these plants, and what types of geraniums are most interesting for owners of gardens and personal plots?
Among ornamental crops, geraniums are known for their stability and unpretentiousness. If you correctly treat the selection of varieties and species of geranium, the openwork unpretentious bushes retain attractiveness in a variety of conditions. Of the dozens of cultivated species, there will definitely be plants that feel great on a sunny lawn or under the canopy of trees, by a pond, on an alpine slide or by a park path.
In addition to flowering, varieties of perennial garden geranium, as in the photo, are pleased with pubescent foliage, which in the autumn days begins to sparkle with all the colors of the rainbow.
Geranium or Balkan geranium( Geranium macrorrhizum)
The history of the cultivation of this type of garden geranium began in the XVII century. Plants found in nature in the mountains of Europe have found application in the design of park plantings. And today, many years of large-neuronal geranium is an unpretentious view for the garden, flower beds and borders.
The species stands out with a long, powerful superficial rhizome that gives rise to new plants. As a result, geranium grows rapidly and forms dense clumps.
Five or seven-fingered leaves with a diameter of 6-10 cm are oddly serrated along the edge. They have a bright green color and a noticeable pile. Flowers with a diameter of 3 cm are collected in sparse inflorescences, umbrellas.
Coloring of the rims is mainly in reddish, crimson or purple tones, but there are also white-colored varieties. The blooming of large-rhizome geranium begins in early summer and lasts about a month.
Geranium Himalayan( Geranium himalayense)
In nature, the plant is found in the foothills of the Himalayas. This meadow culture was used in cultural plantings in the second half of the XIX century.
Himalayan geranium forms a dense grassy bush with a height of 30 to 60 cm. This species has large five-fingered leaves with a diameter of about 10 centimeters. Petioles and leafy plates heavily pubescent. Flowers, compared with other varieties of garden geraniums, are quite large. Corollas, located on peduncles in pairs, reach a size of 4 centimeters. This feature has identified the second name of the species of garden geranium - grandiflora.
Flower color is predominantly bluish or purple. Against this background, contrasting purple streaks are clearly visible. Flowering begins in the second half of May and lasts all summer.
Today there are numerous cultivars of Himalayan geranium, there are compact dwarf forms, not exceeding 30 cm in height.
The Himalayan geranium variety Plenum with terry delicate flowers received particular prominence. The duration and intensity of flowering can be maintained by regularly cutting off withered buds.
Geranium blood-red( Geranium sanguineum)
Geranium species, common in the European part of the country, the Caucasus and many regions of Western Europe, have been cultivated in gardens since the distant 16th century.
The name of the plant is due to the wintering five-fingered leaves, which become purple or brick-red in autumn, which gives additional attractiveness to bright 60-centimeter bushes of this type of garden geranium.
lawn irrigation scheme with red flowers with flowers slightly higher than the pubescent foliage, so it seems that the plants are covered with flowers. Red geranium feels good in the gardens of the middle lane. It blooms throughout the summer period, forms many seeds that easily give self-seeding. Young seedlings begin to bloom as early as the next year after the emergence of shoots and live up to 15 years in one place.
For the design of borders, the most interesting geranium is a blood-red variation of striatum, which does not exceed 15 cm in height, blooms profusely and in the fall pleases with decorative foliage.
Pictured on the photo of garden geraniums, the Album variety is distinguished by white large flowers and delicate foliage, which becomes bright yellow by autumn.
Geranium magnificent( Geranium x magnificum)
The most beautiful hybrid type of garden geranium, the result of the intersection of the Georgian and flatbred varieties. For more than a hundred years, this perennial geranium has been decorating sunny lawns, flower beds and other places.
Not to notice the bush, as in the photo, geraniums magnificent height up to 50 cm is simply impossible. Already from the beginning of summer, the culture begins to bloom, and the bush is covered with purple flowers surrounded by pubescent five-toed leaves. In autumn days, the bush does not lose its decorative appearance due to the same leaves, which turn yellow, orange, and wine-red.
A hybrid geranium species does not produce seeds, therefore plants can only be propagated vegetatively.
Forest Geranium( Geranium sylvaticum)
Aboriginal plant of the central zone, found in Europe and the Asian part of Russia. Forest geranium is a rather large species, forming grassy bushes up to 80 cm high.
Seven-burly densely pubescent leaves are kept on high upright petioles. By the end of August, they fade, so forest geranium is better planted in the environment of other plants. Flowers open in pairs, have a purple or purple color, and with flowering, the color of the rims changes noticeably. Flowering, compared with other types of garden geraniums, is short-term and lasts only three weeks.
Forest geranium white-colored variety Album will decorate shady corners of the garden due to its long lush flowering and the highest decoration.
The well-known Mayflower geranium variety pleases a florist with bluish colors with a slight lilac shade. The core of the flower is lighter than the edges of the corolla. Flowering is very long, from May to August, and abundant.
Geranium Meadow( Geranium pratense)
A 16th century plant that is familiar to Europe and most of the Asian part of Russia is used in landscaping gardens and parks.
Meadow geranium is a tall species, reaching a height of 120 centimeters. Peduncles slightly higher than hairy seven-fingered carved leaves. Decorative plants are maintained from April, when the first foliage appears, and until August, when the bushes wither. Flowering meadow geranium lasts about a month and falls on the peak of summer.
Meadow geranium over the years of growing in gardens has become a truly vibrant decorative culture. For example, the pictured variety of a perennial garden geranium Flore Pleno with spectacular semi-double flowers of beautiful blue-blue tone.
In addition to varieties of meadow geranium with even color of petals, there are plants with variegated corolla. An example is the Splish Splash variety with motley blue and white petals.
Purple Haze is the name of a perennial garden geranium variety, whose photo impresses with mauve flowers and dark purple-violet carved foliage.
