Geranium Pelargonium Ingres = 'Guicerdan' (I/d)

👤 Non-toxic to humans

🐾 Toxic to pets

🌸 Blooming

🍪 Not edible

‍🌱 Easy-care

ABOUT

Pelargonium 'Guicerdan' is a striking plant commonly known as a geranium, characterized by its lush foliage and showy flowers. The plant boasts rounded, slightly lobed leaves that often have a distinct zonal pattern marked by a darker color, sometimes compared to a horseshoe shape. The leaves exhibit a bright green color with a soft, velvety texture, exuding a pleasant scent when touched or brushed against. The flowers of this geranium are particularly eye-catching, usually arranged in rounded clusters known as umbels. Each cluster is a bouquet of numerous individual blooms, radiating with vibrant colors that can range from deep reds to bright pinks or soft pastels, often adorned with contrasting markings or veins. The petals are rounded with a slight ruffle or crinkle at the edges, giving them a full, lush appearance. As a whole, the 'Guicerdan' geranium presents a feeling of robustness and color, making it an attractive choice for gardeners looking to add a splash of continual bloom during the growing season. This plant is often admired for its decorative qualities, both in garden beds and as a popular container plant for patios, balconies, or indoor settings. It is favored for its ease of care, long flowering period, and ability to provide vivid color and interest in a variety of horticultural applications.

Plant Info

Care

Common Problems

About this plant

Names
- Family
  Geraniaceae.
- Synonyms
  Geranium, Pelargonium.
- Common names
  Pelargonium 'Guicerdan'
Toxicity
- To humans
  Geraniums, the most common name for Pelargonium 'Guicerdan', are generally considered non-toxic to humans. They are commonly used in gardens and homes without any special precautions. However, sensitive individuals may experience mild irritation or an allergic reaction if they come into contact with the plant's oils or sap. Ingesting large quantities of geranium leaves or flowers is not advisable, as it may cause gastrointestinal discomfort such as nausea or vomiting, but serious toxicity is rare.
- To pets
  Geraniums, known by their common name for Pelargonium 'Guicerdan', can be toxic to pets, particularly dogs and cats. If ingested, the plant can cause symptoms such as vomiting, anorexia, depression, and dermatitis. In cats, geraniums can also cause ataxia, and muscle weakness. The essential oils and some of the chemical compounds found in geraniums can be harmful to pets, so it is advisable to keep these plants out of their reach.
Characteristics
- Life cycle
  Perennials
- Foliage type
  Evergreen
- Color of leaves
  Green
- Flower color
  Mixed
- Height
  1.5 feet (45.72 cm)
- Spread
  1.5 feet (45.72 cm)
- Plant type
  Herb
- Hardiness zones
  9
- Native area
  South Africa

Benefits

General Benefits
- Decorative Appeal: Adds vibrant color and beauty to gardens and indoor spaces with its attractive blooms.
- Easy Maintenance: Requires minimal care, making it suitable for both novice and experienced gardeners.
- Drought Tolerance: Can survive in dry conditions, reducing the need for frequent watering.
- Pest Resistance: Naturally resists many common garden pests, leading to less reliance on chemical pesticides.
- Long Blooming Season: Produces flowers for an extended period, providing consistent ornamental value.
- Versatility: Can be grown in pots, containers, or directly in the ground, offering flexibility in landscaping and design.
- Aromatic Foliage: Leaves emit a pleasant scent when touched, adding a sensory experience to the garden or home.
Medical Properties
This plant is not used for medical purposes.
Air-purifying Qualities
This plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.
Other Uses
- Aromatic enhancements in perfumes and fragrances: The essential oils of Geranium can be distilled and added to perfumes for their fresh, floral scent.
- Flavoring in food and beverages: Geranium leaves can be used to impart a subtle rose flavor to desserts, jellies, and teas.
- Natural dye for fabrics and crafts: The pigments in Geranium leaves and petals can be used to dye textiles and paper products.
- Garden companion planting: Geraniums can be planted alongside vegetables and other flowers to help deter certain pests through their scent.
- Mood enhancement in aromatherapy: The scent of Geraniums is often used in aromatherapy to help reduce stress and improve mood.
- Decorative potpourri: Dried Geranium leaves and flowers can be included in potpourri mixes for a lasting fragrance in the home.
- Natural insect repellent: Geranium oil can be used as a topical insect repellent to ward off mosquitoes and other biting insects.
- Culinary garnish: Fresh Geranium flowers can be used as an edible garnish on cakes and salads for an elegant touch.
- Creative arts and crafts: Geranium leaves and flowers can be pressed and used in botanical art or to create natural patterns in papermaking.
- Feline repellant in gardens: Some gardeners use Geraniums to discourage cats from entering garden areas due to their strong scent.

Interesting Facts

Feng Shui
The Geranium is not used in Feng Shui practice.
Zodiac Sign Compitability
The Geranium is not used in astrology practice.
Plant Symbolism
- Comfort: The scented leaves of the geranium are often associated with a sense of comfort and emotional warmth, possibly due to their frequent use in homes and their soothing fragrance.
- Healing: Geraniums have a history of being used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments, which is why they can symbolize healing and health.
- Friendship: The geranium is also known to represent friendship, likely because it is a common gift between friends and its easy-going nature makes it a hospitable plant for any home.
- Positive emotions: With their bright and varied colors, geraniums are often associated with positivity and uplifted spirits, symbolizing happiness and a range of positive emotions.
- Harmony: The balanced growth and symmetry of geranium plants can symbolize harmony and stability in one's life or environment.

💧

Every 1-2 weeks

Water

☀️

2500 - 10000 Lux

Light

💦️

Humidity

🪴

Every 1-2 years

Repotting

🌱️

Spring-Summer

Propogation

✂️️

As needed

Pruning

Water
The common name for Pelargonium Ingres 'Guicerdan' is Geranium. Geraniums should be watered thoroughly when the top inch of the soil feels dry to the touch. It's best to water these plants in the morning, giving them time to absorb water before the heat of the day. Ensure that water reaches the roots, but avoid wetting the foliage which can promote disease. Depending on the climate and weather conditions, watering may be required once or twice a week. When watering, use approximately 1 gallon per plant, ensuring even saturation of the soil without waterlogging.
Light
Geraniums thrive best in bright sunlight. They prefer to be placed in a spot where they can receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. An east or west-facing window is ideal for indoor geraniums, ensuring they get enough light without the intense heat of the midday sun.
Temperature
Geraniums are best kept at temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and should not drop below 55 degrees Fahrenheit at night. They can survive temperatures up to 80 degrees Fahrenheit but prefer cooler conditions. If outdoor temperatures exceed these ranges or drop near freezing, the plants should be brought indoors or provided with protection.
Pruning
Prune geraniums to encourage bushy growth and to remove leggy or dead stems. Pruning is best done in late winter or early spring, before new growth begins. Pinch back the growing tips to promote branching, and remove flowers as they fade to encourage more blooms. Pruning can be done every few months or as needed to maintain the desired shape and size of the plant.
Cleaning
As needed
Soil
The best soil mix for a geranium, commonly known as Pelargonium 'Guicerdan', should be well-draining and loamy. An ideal mix is comprised of 2 parts peat moss, 1 part perlite or sand, and 1 part garden soil to ensure proper drainage. The soil pH should be slightly acidic to neutral, ranging from 6.0 to 7.0.
Repotting
Geraniums should be repotted annually, or when the plant outgrows its current container. For optimal growth, ensure your Pelargonium 'Guicerdan' has fresh soil and adequate room for root expansion with each repotting.
Humidity & Misting
Geraniums prefer moderate humidity levels, avoiding overly dry or humid conditions. The best humidity range for Pelargonium 'Guicerdan' is between 40-60%.
Suitable locations
- Indoor
  Place Pelargonium 'Guicerdan' in bright, indirect light inside.
- Outdoor
  Plant in well-draining soil under full to partial sun.
- Hardiness zone
  10-11 USDA
Life cycle
The life of Pelargonium 'Guicerdan', commonly known as Geranium Ingres, commences with germination, where its seeds sprout in warm and moist conditions. Following germination, it enters the seedling stage, characterized by the growth of roots and shoots as it begins to photosynthesize. In the vegetative stage, the Geranium Ingres produces leaves and stems, increasing in size and branching out. Transitioning into the flowering stage, this plant develops buds that bloom into colorful flowers, attracting pollinators for sexual reproduction. After pollination, the flowers produce seeds, completing the reproductive cycle. The plant can then continue on to a period of dormancy during colder months, or it may die after seeding if it is an annual; for perennials, they will return to vegetative growth in the next season.
Propogation
- Propogation time
  Spring-Summer
- Pelargonium 'Guicerdan', commonly known as Geranium, is typically propagated through stem cuttings. This is the most popular method because it's reliable and produces plants that are true to the parent in terms of characteristics. To propagate Geraniums using stem cuttings, one should choose a healthy, non-flowering stem and cut a segment about 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) long. The cut should be made just below a leaf node, and the bottom leaves should be removed. The cut end can then be dipped in rooting hormone to encourage root growth. The cutting should be planted in a moist potting mix and placed in indirect light. It usually takes a few weeks for the cutting to root; during this period, the soil should be kept evenly moist but not waterlogged.