Product Description

The vibrant plants commonly called "geraniums" are actually pelargoniums. They are, however, related to true geraniums, which we also call cranesbills or wild geraniums. Despite their very different attributes, geraniums and pelargoniums belong to the same botanical family, Geraniaceae, and are among the world's most popular garden plants.

Garden expert John Feltwell discusses both members of this wide-ranging family, providing all the information gardeners need to choose, grow, propagate, and design with geraniums and pelargoniums.

More than 250 full color photographs illustrate their beauty and charm, and the extensive A-Z plant directory describes 328 plants in detail. The book also contains:

• descriptions of foliage and flowers for all varieties, such as wood and dusky cranesbills, zonals, ivies, Highfields, Stellars, Butes, Regals and many more
• tips on how to choose the right place for the right plant
• instruction on growing and propagating
• how to deal with pests and diseases
• mail-order sources.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #639253 in Books
• Published on: 2001-03-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

Houston Lifestyle and Homes, July 2001
Everything gardeners need to know to select, grow, propagate and design with these flowers.

Review
Everything gardeners need to know to select, grow, propagate and design with these flowers. (Houston Lifestyle and Homes 20011001)

Excellent... It's nice to have a new book that doesn't require a Ph.D. in botany to understand. (Linda Beutler Garden Showcase )

About the Author

Dr. John Feltwell is trained in botany and zoology. A successful photographer of plants, he has written more than 30 books on gardening, ecology and conservation, including Clematis for all Seasons (Firefly, 1999).

Customer Reviews

great basic overview
Both geraniums and pelargoniums belong to the family "Geraniaceae," of which there are 750 species (and thousands of cultivars) scattered over most of the world. Geraniums are the hardy plants that grow in the wild. Pelargoniums, however, are the plants most of us think of when we think "geranium" -- the colorful flowering houseplants on our windowsills and the lovely scented varieties growing in our kitchens.

The book begins with the characteristics of geraniums. Often called "Cranesbills," geraniums are hardy perennials (zones 4-8) found in mountainous areas, meadows, marshes and near woodlands. Their flowers have five petals, are symmetrical and are relatively small; their foliage varies by shape and color. Size ranges from the taller Meadow and Dusky Cranesbills to the shorter Sanguineums and Wood Geraniums. They make superb ground cover plants with many types able to grow in full sun as well partial shade; they propagate by seed and can become invasive.

Most pelargoniums, on the other hand, are from South Africa and have been cultivated since the 17th century, initially as garden flowers and later as house or conservatory plants. All pelargoniums have a recognizable scent, they have tiny hairs on their stems, their flowers are asymmetrical, they can be propagated by cuttings and most are not cold-hardy and will not survive winters above zone 9.

While there is an abundance of information about geraniums in this book, the main emphasis is on the pelargoniums. There are a seven basic forms: Ivies (sprawling habit with ivy-shaped leaves); Scented types (which can either be upright or trailing); Zonals (named for the bands or "zones" of color on their leaves); Highfields (compact plants with lush flower clusters); Stellars, Startels and Cacti (with star-shaped petals); Regals (beautiful, showy plants with large flowers); and Butes (Single and Double Dwarfs, Miniatures, Micro-Miniatures, Angels and Deacons). Angels are miniatures with Regal-type flowers; Deacons are miniatures crossed with Ivies.

Also included are very short chapters on cultivation, propagation, dealing with pests (although nothing about the mealy bugs that plagued my plants last summer) and treating diseases. A list of 175 species and cultivars is provided with Latin and common names along with a very complete index and a list of world-wide suppliers (with web.addresses!)

This is definitely the book to buy if you want to know more about the various types of geraniums and pelargoniums but it is not a how-to book on cultivation nor is it an indepth guide to all geraniums and pelargoniums. It is beautifully illustrated, however, and I learned a great deal about these wonderful plants from reading this book. My favorite pelargoniums are the scented varieties and I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more information about them and only a short list of 19 different types (there are well over 200 varieties). I had never heard of the enchanting Rosebuds, Stellars and Deacons before reading this book, however, which more than made up for this.