"Scented geraniums" are relatives of the red and pink flowered annual so common in the summer garden. Neither are actually true geraniums; they are members of the genus Pelargonium. Scented geraniums are tender biennial herbs that are grown primarily for their unusual lacy foliage and for their complex aromas. Fragrances include lemon, apple, rose, mint, orange, pineapple . . . even chocolate and pink champagne. With more than 200 varieties available, the most difficult part of growing them is deciding how many to grow.
Scented geraniums can be planted in the garden, ideally near a path, so when someone walks by and brushes against the leaves, the fragrance is released. Since they cannot withstand the winter frost, they lend themselves well to pots and cascading baskets. They thrive on warm weather, bright direct sun, good drainage, and prefer to be kept a little dry. Fertilize sparingly with a slow release or water soluble fertilizer. They can be outdoor plants in the spring, summer and fall, and moved inside before frost to be used as winter houseplants. Indoors, you can fill a room with their scent by brushing a hand over the foliage.
Over the centuries, gourmets have used the leaves in baking and to scent sugars, flavor teas, and fragrance jellies. Today they are also used for making perfumes, sachets, scented oils, and potpourri. There are many herbal books available describing their many uses.
Scented geraniums can be found at most local and herb nurseries in East Texas.
Deb Kesinger, Smith County Master Gardener
Sweetly scented geraniums (Pelargonium) are delightful additions in your yard or your house. Scented geraniums were originally brought to Holland and England from South Africa in 1632. Over the past three hundred years, cultivation has resulted in more than one hundred varieties, in a kaleidoscope of shapes, sizes, and color. All share highly aromatic foliage.
The flowers feature the five petals of the Pelargonium genus, but in them the petals are arranged with two upper petals and three lower petals. The upper two are often larger and more richly colored. Colors range from white, through shades of pink and lilac, to red. The leaves range in shape from lacy and finely cut to rounded. The shrub-like plants can grow from 18" to 3' tall.
Pelargoniums are generally categorized by aroma. Unlike other flowers, the fragrance is in the foliage. They come in rose, mint, spice, fruit, and pungent fragrances. The most popular is the rose-scented plant called Robert Lemon Rose. It has soft, gray-green, two-inch leaves. The scent is a strong lemon-rose, and the flower is a medium pink. The leaves can be dried and used in potpourri mixtures.
Scented geraniums do best in sun to part shade. Liberal pruning encourages dense growth. They like well-drained, fertile, moist soil, but never too wet. They can be treated as an annual and a summer bedding plant or they can be grown in containers or hanging baskets and brought inside for the winter. They do well year-round as houseplants.
Sue McGuire, Smith County Master Gardener
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