Scented Leaf Pelargoniums

Fragrant pelargoniums are characterized by the presence of glands filled with essential oil on the upper and sometimes lower side of the leaf plates. Sometimes there are glands on the stems of plants. When touched or rubbed, the leaves of these pelargoniums spread a scent similar to those of rose, apple, lemon, orange, pineapple, peach, mint, lavender, verbena, wormwood, pine, juniper, cedar, almond, coconut, nutmeg, caramel, cinnamon, and sometimes they have complex, difficult to describe smells. The flowers of these pelargoniums are inferior in beauty to many species and hybrid pelargoniums - they are usually small and dull in color (white, pink or lavender), but in some, flowering is very elegant due to the abundance of small flowers. Some pelargoniums almost do not bloom on windowsills and are grown exclusively for the sake of fragrant foliage.

At present, the original fragrant species are included in the group Pelargonium Species, and the garden forms, varieties and hybrids obtained from them are combined into this group of Scented Leaved Pelargoniums.

Read about the modern classification of pelargonium on the page Pelargonium.

Most of these are bushy plants with small, simple flowers, although there are varieties with large bright flowers and lush inflorescences. Leaves vary from cultivar in size and shape. The aroma of foliage in hybrids can be radically different from the original species, and sometimes it is completely lost, so the process of obtaining new hybrids of fragrant pelargoniums is not so simple.

The main ancestors of this group are aromatic pelargonium (Pelargonium graveolens), the most fragrant pelargonium (Pelargnium odoratissimum), pelargonium curly (Pelargonium crispum), pelargonium pink (Pelargonium radens), pelargonium oakleaf (Pelargonium quercifolium), pelargonium capitate (Pelargonium capitatum), pelargonium felt (Pelargonium tomentosum)and also pelargonium odorous (Pelargonium fragrans), the existence of which as a species is currently being questioned - it is assumed that it is a hybrid P. exstipulatum and P. odoratissimum.

Pelargonium odorous Pelargonium fragrans

More rare types of pelargonium with aromatic foliage:

• pelargonium birch-leaved (Pelargonium betulinum) - with a pungent aroma;

• grape-leaved pelargonium (Pelargonium vitifolium) - with the scent of lemon balm;

• guitar-shaped pelargonium (Pelargonium panduriforme) - with geranium aroma;

• pelargonium dichondrolytic (Pelargonium dichondraefolium) - with the smell of black pepper;

• sticky pelargonium (Pelargonium glutinosum) - with the scent of lemon balm;

• pelargonium nodule (Pelargonium cucullatum) - with lemon scent;

• gooseberry pelargonium (Pelargonium grossularioides) - with lemon scent;

• pelargonium lemon balm (Pelargonium mellisimum) - with a sweet lemon aroma;

• small-flowered pelargonium (Pelargonium parviflorum) - with the smell of coconut;

• shaggy pelargonium (Pelargonium hirtum) - with a pungent aroma;

• Sickle-leaved pelargonium (Pelargonium crithmifolium) - with the aroma of ginger and nutmeg;

• rough pelargonium (Pelargonium scabrum) - with the scent of lemon;

• rough pelargonium (Pelargonium x asperum)

• Pelargonium abrotanifolium - with a pungent aroma;

• Pelargonium hypoleucum.

Description of fragrant species pelargonium - in the article Species Pelargoniums.

Varieties of scented pelargonium

Pelargonium felt P. tomentosumChocolate mint (syn. Chocolate peppermint) - undersized, up to 30 cm tall, with slightly hanging shoots. The leaves are medium and large, deeply lobed, soft, velvety, with a chocolate brown spot in the center, smell like mint. The flowers are pale pink, with purple feathers on the upper petals.
Pelargonium capitate P. capitatumAttar of roses - up to 45 cm tall, with large three-lobed leaves with a strong rose aroma. The flowers are lilac-pink, with a burgundy throat.

Pelargonium curly P. crispumCy's Sunburst - has small, lemon-smelling, corrugated variegated foliage - green with a thin golden edging. The flowers are pink.

Pelargonium oakleaf P. quercifoliumGiant oak - with very large, lobed leaves with a balsamic smell.
Pelargonium pink P. radensRed-flowered rose - openwork pelargonium with grayish-green palmate foliage (for which it is called Crow's Feet) and abundant red-pink (brighter than the main species) flowers. Very drought tolerant.

Pelargonium pink P. radensRadula - leaves are less thinly cut than the main species (P. radens), with a less intense aroma. The flowers are small, lilac-pink.

Graveolens Group

Varieties of aromatic pelargonium (P. graveolens).

Camphor rose - upright, up to 45 cm tall, with deeply cut leaves with a strong camphor and mint aroma. The flowers are purple-pink.
Lady plymouth - a very popular variety, 45-60 cm tall, leaves with a thin white edging, with a scent of eucalyptus. Inflorescences of lavender-pink flowers appear in summer.

Both's Snowflake - upright, 30-60 cm in height and in width, with deeply cut leaves, sparkling due to irregular creamy variegation, with a rose aroma.

Variegata - up to 60 cm, with pink flowers and variegated white-green leaves with a scent of mint and rose.

Fragrans Group

Varieties of odorous pelargonium (Pelargonium fragrans).

Pelargonium fragrant Fragrans Variegatum

Fragrans Variegatum - a subshrub up to 15 cm tall, often with reddish stems, leaves are velvety, three-lobed, obtuse-toothed along the edge, light green, with a chartreuse border, with a spicy aroma. The flowers are white, collected in inflorescences of 4-8, two upper petals with small red stripes.
Lilian pottinger - 25-30 cm high and 12-16 cm wide, leaves are gray-green, irregularly three-lobed, serrated along the edge, with a complex aroma of camphor and pine. In summer it forms many white flowers with small red markings on the upper petals.
Ardwick cinnamon - with small velvety dull green foliage with a scent of cinnamon and white flowers with crimson marks on the upper petals.

Pelargonium varieties with scented leaves

Basically, varieties of hybrid origin are presented here.

Brunswick - up to 60 cm high and 45 cm wide, leaves are large, dark green, deeply cut into pointed lobes, with a pungent odor. Has spectacular inflorescences of large pink flowers. Blooms in summer.
Citronella - leaves are dark green, multipart, with a powerful citrus aroma (citronella). During the flowering period, it is covered with many small bright pink flowers.

Charity - compact pelargonium up to 30 cm tall with palmate-lobed, soft-hairy, light green leaves with wide irregular golden edging. They have a powerful lemon scent with hints of rose. The flowers are small, white-pink, with crimson markings on the upper petals, collected in inflorescences of 5-7.
Copthorne - 45-60 cm high and often the same width, with powerful dark green leaves with large lobes, with a very strong sweetish odor, reminiscent of cedar. Blooms for a long time with spectacular purple-pink flowers with wine-red veins and spots on the upper petals.

Eucament - with strongly dissected, like in Pelargonium pink (P. radens) leaves with a bright menthol scent.
Galway star - small dense pelargonium, deeply incised leaves, serrated along the edge, corrugated, green, with cream edging, have a strong lemon aroma. The flowers are lavender, with bright magenta marks on the upper petals.

Gemstone - upright bushy variety 45-60 cm tall, with rough lobed leaves with a bright lemon aroma. Blooms for a long time with spectacular pink-red inflorescences.
Grace thomas - a large and dense upright variety up to 90 cm tall, with large, deeply dissected, serrated leaves, with a scent of lemon and lime and a sweet raspberry tinge. Flowers from white to pale pink, with crimson spots and veins.

Hansen's wild spice - slender plant up to 45 cm high and wide. Without pruning, it gives half-hanging stems. The leaves are beautiful, bare, toothed, with a strong aroma of citrus and spices. The flowers are quite large, they come in different shades of pink, with darker markings on the upper petals.

Pelargonium fragrant Hansen's Wild Spice

Joy lucille - 45-60 cm high, with large velvety cut leaves with a menthol-mint aroma, and pale pink flowers with purple feathers on the upper petals.
Lara jester - up to 40 cm tall, leaves are large, strongly dissected, with a lemon scent.The flowers are rather large, the petals are pink-lilac, with paler edges and a white base. The upper petals have purple veins.

Lemon kiss - lush upright pelargonium up to 40 cm high and 20 cm wide. The foliage resembles curly pelargonium (Pelargonium crispum)... Leaves are medium in size, rough, textured, toothed. It is considered the best variety with a lemon scent of foliage. The flowers are small, lavender, with deep carmine-colored feathers on the upper petals.
Mabel gray - a wide bush 30-35 cm tall, with two-colored toothed leaves of the shape of a maple leaf, medium and large, with the scent of lemon verbena. Flowers from pale pink to light purple, the upper petals are marble, with plum-colored feathers. One of the most fragrant pelargoniums. Discovered in Kenya in 1960. Sometimes referred to as P. citronellum Mabel Gray.

Orsett - a large bushy upright plant up to 75 cm tall, with lobed green leaves with purple-brown spots in the center, with a spicy but pleasant aroma. The flowers are large, mauve, with darker markings on the upper petals. Blooms for a very long time.

Paton's unique - also belongs to the Unicums group. 60-65 cm in height and up to 20 cm in width, leaves with a pungent odor, spectacular inflorescences, from coral-red and pale pink flowers with small white eyes.
Phyllis - also belongs to the Unique group, a very beautiful variegated sport from the Paton's Unique variety. The leaves are deeply cut, green, with creamy edges, fragrant. The flowers are bright pink, luminous, with a white eye and dark feathers on the upper petals.

About the group of unique people - in the article Pelargoniums are royal, angels and unique.

Round leaf rose - 60-90 cm high, with rounded, indistinctly lobed velvety, textured, crinkled leaves with a bronze spot in the center, with a fresh orange scent. The flowers are pink with light specks and purple veins on the upper petals.
Shottesham red syn. Concolor Lace - up to 60 cm in height and width. A compact pyramidal plant with very beautiful velvety corrugated light green leaves. The aroma of the leaves is sweetly pungent, with light hints of hazelnut. It blooms from spring to autumn with inflorescences of lilac-red, rare color, flowers, with darker feathers on the upper petals, the three lower petals are lighter.