Pelargonium( geranium)

We have known this plant since childhood. His cultivated species pleases us with magnificent flowering on the windowsills, balconies, flower beds. Meadow and forest geraniums attract carved leaves and modest, but graceful flowers. At the beginning of summer we see them everywhere - in the copse, along the edges of the dry meadow or in the fields, along the village streets. At the end of July - beginning of August, on the spot of crumbling flowers there suddenly appear bizarre long fruit, reminiscent of the shape of cranes or stork beaks. This similarity was noticed by the ancient Greeks. It was later fixed in the scientific name of one of the genera of the family of geranium( Pelargonium) - from the Greek pelargos, which means "crane".And in the languages ​​of other peoples there are similar names for geraniums - in Germany, it's called "aistine nose", in England and the USA - by a crane. In different regions of Russia there were a lot of folk names: a forest crane, pins, maple leaf, hamster's fattening, a mustard grass, a bone, a weed grass, a human articulate, an unhealthy grass. One of the names - grapelnik, grapelki. A few protruding sharp fruit on one plant resemble the teeth of a rake.

It can be seen that some names are given to the plant for its medicinal properties. And they were appreciated from the ancient times in the West and in the East. In addition, geraniums were also attributed to magical abilities. Her bushes were planted around her dwelling to protect themselves from the evil eye and evil spirits. In France, in ancient times, a flower of geranium was pinned to the breast of a young girl - as a wish for a happy woman's destiny.

Raised geranium both as a decorative and as essential oil plant - essential oil of a plant is basically and is of value for medicine. In the Middle Ages it was believed that geraniums are able to fuse fractures and heal cancer.

Egyptian geranium oil is very popular in the East and now, it has long been used to treat a wide variety of diseases. In Tibetan medicine, the plant is used to treat diabetes and eye diseases, including thorns. Traditional healers of Central Asia and Europe recommended decoctions of roots and infusions of herbs of geranium with pulmonary hemorrhage( hemoptysis), other bleeding of internal organs - for example, uterine;for recovery in the postpartum period;in disorders of the digestive system - inflammatory processes in the stomach and intestines, as an astringent for diarrhea;gastrointestinal and chest pains, as well as for getting rid of kidney stones. In Russia, folk medicine used unleaded grass as a hemostatic, disinfectant and anthelmintic.

As a house plant, geranium, or rather, a representative of one of its genera - pelargonium - spread in Europe in the 16th century. Most likely, were brought pyshnotsvetuschie bushes from North Africa. In Russia there is, perhaps, not a single window-sill or balcony, on which this unpretentious beauty would never have grown.

Features of care

Our fragrant beauty - the plant is quite unpretentious, with the care of it will cope even a budding florist.

Family geranium. The genus Pelargonium( pelargonium).Natural climatic conditions: the subtropics of South Africa.

Herbaceous plant, often with lignified in the lower part of the stem;leaves alternate, petiolate;inflorescence - loose umbrella.

The soil mixture for geranium and pelargonium is composed of turf and leaf land, humus, peat, sand, taken in equal parts.

Lighting: plants are placed in a bright, sunny place. Summer may require exposure to direct sunlight.

Temperature: moderate, in winter not below 18 ° С.

Watering: in summer abundant, in winter moderate. Do not overmoist the soil for pelargonium. Spraying, like other plants with pubescent leaves, it does not require.

How to propagate: this is usually done by cuttings in the spring. Cuttings of geranium( pelargonium) slightly dried, then put in a loose, slightly moistened mixture of peat, leaf earth and sand. The soil for cuttings is best pre-disinfected, for example, spill with boiling water or stand in a heavily heated oven for about 15-20 minutes. Dried cuttings during the day cut before planting is better to roll in coal powder. Rooting usually occurs in a month. Cuttings, rooted in early spring, begin to bloom in the summer. Cuttings, rooted at the end of summer, hibernate in cool conditions and are transplanted at the end of winter - early summer.

Pruning young shoots is mandatory - in this way you will strengthen the branchedness and get a decorative bush. Transplant the plant only if necessary.

Extra nutrition: the plant responds positively to summer mineral and organic top dressing, they are carried out at regular intervals - once in 2 weeks.

Methods of care: periodically need to loosen the top layer of soil in the pot, remove damaged or yellowed leaves, cut off the faded peduncles. In spring, in adult pelargonium, the stems are cut to 1/3 of the length - this stimulates the branching of the plant.
Pelargonium is photophilic, grows well and develops on a sunny window. In winter, place the plant so that the leaves do not touch the cold glass. Water the plant regularly, trying not to allow the earthen coma to dry out. When the moisture is not enough, the leaves of the pelargonium lose the turgor, but then quickly recover. Try not to "train" Pelargonium, because all the shortcomings of care sooner or later will manifest. In winter, pelargonium is watered sparingly, allowing the soil to dry out. In spring, pruned. Fragments of shoots can be put on cuttings( they are dried and planted in boxes) or used on a farm. The moth does not tolerate the smell of pelargonium, so the pieces of shoots placed in a tissue bag are well kept in a closet.

The transplant is carried out every two years, and the top layer of the earth can be renewed annually. Pelargonium loves easy, fertile soil.

Growth problems

If stalks of pelargonium are bared from below, leaves are not large, flowering is uninhabitable - most likely your pet does not have enough light. You should change the location( on the window sill of the southern window) or add artificial lighting fluorescent lamp for several hours a day.

Reddening of the edges of the leaves is a consequence of hypothermia of the plant.

If the stems at the base are black( a disease called the "black leg" is caused by excess moisture in the soil, especially when the contents are cool) - it's sad, but the plant is better to destroy.

The cause of yellowing of the leaves is irregular and insufficient watering. In summer, pelargonium is watered about 2-3 times a week.

Separate yellow spots appear on the leaves, gradually absorbing the entire leaf, or rusty spots from the outer or lower part of the leaf, so-called.rust, - the plant is attacked by a fungus, it is necessary to treat it with fungicidal preparations, and not once( you can buy them in a flower shop).

If the plant has slowed growth and does not blossom - it means the time for transplantation has come.

The plant is growing rapidly, large green leaves are formed, there are few flowers or there is no flowering at all - that means you overdid with top dressing. Especially the excess fertilizer affects, if you do not use potassium fertilizer, but with a large content of nitrogen. Do not exceed the dosage indicated in the instructions.

Diseases and pests: Pelargoniums are prone to diseases such as rust, real and downy mildew. The main pests - white-wing, aphids, weevils.

Pelargonium home

♦ Polyhybrid form, height about half a meter, leaves almost round, notched at the margin, up to 10 cm in length, close in features to succulent;flowers up to 5 cm in diameter, can be white, pink and red with darker spots on the two lower petals. Blossoms more than half a year.

Pelargonium fragrant

♦ Semi-shrub up to 1 m in height, the stem strongly branching;leaves pinnately cut, lobed, slightly pubescent, blue in color, fragrant due to high content of essential oils;flowers are small, sirenovato-pink.

Pelargonium zonal

* Stems are straight, can have different heights for different varieties;leaves with a peculiar coloration: light green with a zone of brownish, white or purple color, fragrant;inflorescence on long peduncles, coloration of corolla different( depending on the variety), the timing of flowering is different( depending on the variety).

Large-scale Pelargonium

♦ Initial view for many Pelargonium cultures;stalks in young plants are straight, 3-4 years old - ampel;leaves with finely toothed edges, stiff, wrinkled;flowers of large, varied color of the variety: "African Bell" - in the center are dark red, almost black, pink-red at the edges;"Jesse Loret" - almost black in the center, crimson around the edges;"Lavender Quinn" - purple in the center, lilac-pink on the edges, wavy;- "Marie Vogel" and "Pink Vogel"( differing in terms of flowering) - dark crimson in the center, bright pink on the main background, etc.).

Pelargonium ivy-leaved( pelargonium creeping)

* Ribbed stems, ampel;the leaves look like ivy leaves, often shiny;peduncles elongated, long, flowers, usually of light tones( from pink to white), different in different varieties.

Pelargonium thyroid

* The stem is creeping or creeping, the leaves are almost round to 7 cm in diameter, but you can distinguish five blades, fleshy, with a brownish-red border but the edge;flowers white or pink with purple veins on the upper petals. Very undemanding plant.

Requirement for moisture: moderate glaze. It is well tolerated by the dryness of the air.

Temperature mode: high temperature is only permissible for the above-ground part. In order not to overheat pots with roots, they should be placed on pallets or in boxes with a moistened substrate.

Light mode: moderately photophilous plant. Soil requirement: optimum soil-enriched earth mix from sod, peat and deciduous land with sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 2: 1

Propagation: cuttings( for cuttings it is better to take semi-greyed, green cuttings in August-September, before planting them dry), some varieties of pelargonium zonal( a group of varieties "Carrefrey", "Nitta-no Lyon Red", "New Era", "Cherry", etc.) - seeds.

Features: used for aromatherapy. Most species and varieties can grow on the balcony.

Useful properties of

Probably, a long time ago the ability of a strong-scanting plant to clean air has been already noticed( now we know that this is due to the high content of special substances in it - phytoncids).Spreading around the room, this fragrance "sucks" in itself harmful microbes, fumes, unpleasant smells and dampness. In addition, it calms the frustrated nerves, weakens the headache, relieves fatigue, improves the healthy sleep of the owners and even helps their pets.

Experts say that you can save a dog or cat from ear mites if you lay a piece of geranium leaf in the animal's ear. They also advise rubbing domestic animals with geranium leaves - from this procedure the coat should become thick and shiny, but warn that it should not be done more than once in 2-3 months.

Our great-grandmothers used the so-called repellent properties of the smell of geranium - that is, its ability to repel insects. They knew: in a house where geraniums are growing, there are no annoying flies in the hot summer months. And if you put fragrant leaves in woolen things, it will protect them from gluttonous moths. And till now leaves of fragrant pelargonium stuff small small pillows - sachets - they put them in linen closets for aromatization of linen. As a flavoring in European countries, this plant is no less popular than carnation and lavender. When cooking jam, a leaf of geranium rose was added to apple jam - this gave it a special flavor. In cooking, the plant is used as an original seasoning in the preparation of various dishes. Well, the healing properties of geraniums are still appreciated. But first you should look into the "family portrait in the interior."This will help us understand when to seek help from forest or meadow geraniums, and in what kind of cases - to their cultural, but still close relative - pelargonium.

For sympathetic and emotional natures, pelargonium helps to relax, relieve insomnia.

The fact that pelargonium relieves headaches and nightmares, people have known for a long time. Now more talk about its phytoncide and energy-therapeutic properties. Emotional and sensitive nature takes everything to heart, and as a result often suffer from stress and neuroses. Pelargonium strengthens the nervous system. It saturates the air with biologically active substances: leaves secrete essential oils, inhaling which a person calms down. People in a state of stress are advised to bring pelargonium overnight into the bedroom. It will help to relax, get rid of bad thoughts.

Pelargonium raises the mood, gives optimism and cheerfulness. And most importantly, this plant is a strong amulet. If you are afraid of the evil eye, keep pelargonium not only at home, but also at work. You can carry dried leaves or petals in your bag.