Pelargonium LONGIFOLIUM

Pelargonium LONGIFOLIUM - Long-leaved pelargonium, Pelargonium longifolium.

Pelargonium is a genus of plants in the cranesbill family (Geraniaceae), which includes 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, branching. Leaves are simple, palmate, or palmately dissected. Flowers are of diverse coloration, gathered into few- or many-flowered umbel-like inflorescences. The fruit is a capsule with persistent sepals that opens uniquely, from the lower part to the upper.

Pelargonium longifolium is a stemless species native to the sandy soils of the Cape of Good Hope. It forms a caudex up to 3 cm (1.2 in) thick and a rosette of glaucous pinnate or bipinnate foliage up to 12 cm (4.7 in) long on long petioles, sparsely pubescent with appressed hairs. Flowers are white, cream, yellow, or pink with dark red markings.

Natural conditions for seed germination of succulent pelargoniums are similar to the conditions of our autumn season; however, when appropriate conditions are created, germination can be carried out year-round. An important factor is the daily temperature fluctuation. A nighttime drop in temperature to 9 °C (48 °F) stimulates germination well. The seeds have strong genetic memory and can remain dormant for a long time waiting for a favorable period, so one should not discard sowings before that favorable time arrives.

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

Seeds of all types of Pelargonium 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 spaces, but is also not afraid of shaded spots. Without good lighting, flowers and leaflets lose their color saturation. Solar rays passing through glass can cause burns on leaves and petals. For the winter, the plant must not be left in open soil, and fluorescent lamps must be used for sufficient illumination.

Fertile soil made of equal parts humus, sand, peat, and sod soil is preferred. When growing in pots, good drainage is necessary to prevent stagnant moisture. It can be grown in open ground.

Pelargonium should be watered regularly only during the summer season, and in winter in small amounts. The plant possesses the ability to store moisture, and with 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 flowers, 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.