Geraniums are grown in boxes on balconies and terraces for their beautiful flowers, which we enjoy from spring to autumn, sometimes until the first frost. But among them we can also findgeraniums with fragrant leavesThey give off, especially when rubbed, a very distinct smell, reminiscent of camphor, mint or orange. Some people say thatscented geraniumsimprove mood, and some of them also have healing properties. It is therefore not surprising thatscented geranium has found applications inin medicine and in the cosmetics industry.Here are the most interestingvarieties of fragrant geraniumsand thesecrets of growing fragrant geraniumsthat every lover of these wonderful plants should know!
Scented pelargonium (Pelargonium graveolens), commonly known as angina
Scented geranium - application
In our climatefragrant geranium is mainly used as a potted plantbut in summer the plants can also be exposed to balconies or gardens. This plant is known mainly for the fragrance emitted by its leaves, but it is also worth appreciatingdecorative qualities of leaves and flowers of some varieties of fragrant geraniums
Due to thearomatic oils it emits, fragrant pelargonium has also been usedin cosmetics, where geranium oil is used, and in natural medicine. At home, we can addfragrant geranium leaves to teato give it an original, aromatic taste.
Fragrant geraniums are also recommended potted flowers for bedrooms, which disinfect and negatively ionize the air, ensuring good sleep and relaxation.
A practical way touse fragrant geranium leaves at homeis sewing them in a cotton sachet and using them as a moth repellent in wardrobes and against mosquitoes and fluff by windows.
Scented pelargonium - healing properties
Worth appreciatinghealing properties of scented geraniumsIn folk medicine, the leaves of the popular angina were used to inhibit inflammatory processes and infections of the upper respiratory tract. For this purpose, the leaf had to be crushed so that it released the juice and placed shallowly in the ear or nose. This treatment relieved the pain and unclogged the stuffy nose.
The substances contained in the essential oils of fragrant geraniumshave anti-inflammatory, antiviral and anesthetic properties. For these reasons, angina leaves were used to soothe rheumatic pains, neuralgia, headaches, disinfect and bring relief in places after insect bites, minor wounds and burns.For this purpose, the leaves were crushed in a mortar and then made into compresses.
Fragrant geranium leaves can also be usedas an ingredient of an infusion for skin diseases. In order to prepare it, the leaves are poured with boiling water and brewed, covered, for a quarter of an hour. Then it is drained and the infusion is soaked in cotton fabric. Then the fabric soaked in angina infusion is placed on the lesions.
Fragrant geranium leaves infusion is also used as a rinse for sore throat and mouth inflammation, toothache and bad breath.
Vapors emitted by the leaves of scented geraniums have acalming and mood-enhancing effect. For this purpose, we surround ourselves with live plants or we crush a few broken leaves and, in silence, we inhale their smell.
Growing fragrant geraniums
The growing conditions for scented geraniumsare similar regardless of the species.They require sunny positions. In the shade, they smell less, do not bloom, and their shoots stretch out excessively. Plants are planted in pots with universal soil or peat substrate mixed with sand. At the bottom of the pot, create a drainage layer of pebbles, pieces of old broken pots or expanded clay.
Scented geraniums like moist soilbut watering should not be overdoed, because excess moisture harms them more than temporary dryness. Therefore, let's follow the rule that the soil should slightly dry between waterings. Water more sparingly in winter. During the growth period, the plants should be fed with multi-component fertilizer every 2 weeks.In summer, fragrant geraniumsfeel good at an average room temperature, while in winter they should be placed in a cooler place, as long as it is above 5 ° C.
Under favorable conditions, fragrant geraniums can also bloom beautifully. In the photo: Pelargonium quercifolium
In strong-growingfragrant geraniumsit is worth tearing off the tips of the shoots to stimulate the planting and maintain a bushy habit. Broken shoots in spring and summer can be rooted in a mixture of peat and sand. The pieces of shoots intended for pelargonium cuttings should be 10 to 15 cm long. It is worthwhile topropagate fragrant geraniumson your own, because older specimens lose their decorative value and it is worth rejuvenating the collection every few years.
Varieties of geraniums with fragrant leaves
The most famous geranium with fragrant leaves is thefragrant geranium(Pelargonium graveolens), also commonly known as angina. Due to the lack of frost resistance, it is mainly grown in apartments, as a houseplant, but it can also spend warm summer days on the balcony or terrace. In home cultivation, it rarely blooms, and its flowers are quite inconspicuous, so its main qualities are light green, widely cut, hairyleaves, giving off a rose fragrance(hence probably the English synonym for the name Rose pelargonium).
Lemon Geranium has crimped leaves with curved edges, giving off a pleasant lemon scent. In the photo the cultivar 'Variegatum' with leaves with a light border
Apart from anginathe fragrant-leaved geraniums includealso numerous hybrid varieties, e.g.
- Pelargonium capitatum- blooms pink, leaves soft and fluffy, gives off a rose fragrance.
- Pelargonium crispum- also known aslemon geranium , having small, crimped leaves with bent edges, giving off a strong lemon scent. Flowers up to 2.5 cm in diameter, light pink with a dark pink pattern. It grows up to 75 cm in height.
- Pelargonium quercifolium- also known asoak geraniumoralmond geranium , is a plant that grows up to 60 cm tall, with a bushy habit.The leaves are of an almost triangular shape, deeply indented and covered with fluff. Bright, purple-pink flowers. In the case of this pelargonium, I have come across different terms for the smell it emits. According to some sources, it is a balsamic fragrance, according to others - spicy, peppery.
- Pelargonium tomentosum- the Polish name ismint geranium , it has large, flaky leaves, hairy and fragrant with mint. It can be grown as a bushy potted plant or its climbing shoots can be led on supports. It differs from most geraniums by its taste for less sunny locations.
Of course, these are just a few examples, becausethere are quite a lot of interestingly smelling hybrid geraniums . When buying such a plant, it is worth smelling its leaves and checking if they really smell and if we like the smell, because tastes are different.
