Pelargonium VITIFOLIUM

Pelargonium VITIFOLIUM - Grape-leaved pelargonium, Pelargonium vitifolium.

Pelargonium is a genus of plants in the cranesbill family (Geraniaceae), comprising 5 genera and about 800 species. The genus is represented by perennial herbaceous or subshrub plants, primarily native to South Africa.

The stems are erect or creeping, and branching. The leaves are simple, palmate, or palmately dissected. The flowers are of varied coloration, gathered in few- or many-flowered umbel-like inflorescences. The fruit is a capsule with persistent sepals that opens in a distinctive way, from the lower part to the upper.

Grape-leaved pelargonium received its name for its leaves that resemble grape foliage. It is an erect shrub up to 90 cm (35.4 in) tall with white-pink and mauve-pink flowers. On the large upper petals are bright dark stripes. In its natural habitat, it occurs in the south of the Cape of Good Hope along the floodplains of rivers and streams. It has a very pleasant aroma, a combination of lemon and rose.

Seeds are sown on the surface without burying into a mix of sod soil, high-moor peat, and sand in a 2:1:1 ratio, or into pure vermiculite, dusted with a thin layer of clean river sand or mix, moistened from a spray bottle, covered with film, and germinated in light, but not in direct sun, at a temperature of 20-25 °C (68-77 °F). Seedlings need ventilation. It is necessary to avoid waterlogging and drying out of the sowings.

Seeds of all types of pelargoniums are susceptible to fungal diseases, so for prevention 5-10% crushed charcoal is added to the potting mix, and sowings are moistened from a spray bottle with a fungicide solution. Seedlings are pricked out into individual containers, having previously treated the root system with a fungicide and root stimulant, when the small bushes reach 12-25 cm (4.7-9.8 in) in height.

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Pelargonium grows wonderfully in open sunny locations, but is also tolerant of shaded spots. Without good lighting, the flowers and leaves lose their color intensity. Sunlight passing through glass can cause burns on leaves and petals. For the winter, the plant must not be left in open ground, and fluorescent lamps must be used to provide sufficient light.

Fertile soil consisting of equal parts humus, sand, peat, and sod soil is preferred. When grown in pots, good drainage is necessary to prevent water stagnation. It can be grown outdoors in open ground.

Pelargonium should be watered regularly only during the summer season, and in winter in small amounts. The plant possesses the property of accumulating moisture, and under heavy watering the root system can suffer. In addition, with an excess of moisture, the plant does not bloom, and the leaves change shape.

For rapid growth and an abundance of blooms, feeding with minerals and organic matter is required. During the period of rapid growth, liquid fertilizers should be used; during flowering, phosphorus and potassium should be added, and to obtain abundant foliage, nitrogen. Feed once a week regularly from late spring to early autumn. After repotting, feeding can only begin after three months.