Cultivated geraniums are usually divided into four categories, according to their use. Fancy, or show, geraniums are cultivated for their large showy clusters of flowers and are often planted indoors in pots. Zonal geraniums are raised in window boxes or gardens for their leaves, which may be bronze or gold and are sometimes edged with white. Ivy-leaved geraniums have weak trailing stems and are often grown in hanging baskets. Scented-leaved geraniums are grown for their fragrant leaves, and some, such as the rose geranium (Pelargonium odoratissimum), yield an oil that is used in the manufacture of perfume and soap.
A widely cultivated show species is the Lady Washington (P. domesticara), which is native to southern Africa. The Lady Washington grows to a height of about 1½ feet, and it has broad lobed leaves. Its flowers, which are usually red, grow in a cluster that may be more than 2 inches in diameter. In each flower the two uppermost petals are larger and deeper in color than the other three petals.
Probably the most widespread American species is the wild, or spotted, cranesbill (Geranium maculatum), which grows in woods and meadows throughout eastern North America. The wild cranesbill usually ranges in height from 1 to 2 feet. Its broad lobed leaves range in width from 3 to 6 inches, and its small flowers are usually white or purple.
Closely related to the wild cranesbill is the herb Robert (G. robertianum), also called red robin. It is native to Eurasia, North America, and northern Africa. The stem of the herb Robert often trails along the ground, but it may also grow erect, reaching a height of 1½ feet. The flowers, which are about half an inch in diameter, are usually reddish purple.
Cultivated geraniums are grown from shoots or cuttings that are placed in moist sandy soil. Once the roots appear, the young plants are transferred to pots or planted in a garden.
Geraniums are classified as the family Geraniaceae (geranium). Annual, biennial, and perennial.
