Geranium Blog

Heat Tolerant Scented Geraniums For Desert Dwelling Gardeners

Desert dwelling gardeners face a daunting array of problems. Triple digit temperatures, high winds, low humidity all create difficult challenges. Zonal geraniums have a rough time in the Las Vegas summer. What about the scenteds? Good news: Many scented geraniums live happily with our weather extremes.

I thought a list of the most heat tolerant and trouble free would be useful. Everything on this list I have grown for over a year in Southern Nevada. They perform well with only the basic care - no special treatment. (Basic care is defined as water, fertilizer, repotting as needed and half day of sun.) This list is not meant to be definitive and will most certainly grow longer in the future.

Heat Tolerant Scented Geraniums For Desert Gardeners:

• Pelargonium 'Attar of Roses' (rose)
• P. crispum (lemon)
• P. crispum 'Minor' (lemon)
• P. 'Dr. Livingstone' (lemon-rose)
• P. grossularioides (coconut)
• P. limoneum (lemon-lime)
• P. lucaeflora (rose)
• P. ionidiflorum (celery)
• P. 'Mint Scented Rose' (mint)
• P. odoratissimum (apple)
• P. 'Old Scarlet Unique' (pungent)
• P. 'Orange' (orange)
• P. 'Roller's Satinique' (pungent)
• P. 'Sandalwood' (woodsy)
• P. 'Strawberry' (strawberry)

Which worthy, hardworking young scented geraniums will make it to the Heat Tolerant List next? What pitfalls await them? Which scented geraniums have been "deselected" from the List? And why, why, why? You'll read it all here first.

Early Bloomer: Nutmeg Scented Geranium

Nutmeg geranium is one of the early spring bloomers. Another tiny white flower, too. I'm watching for seedheads. The leaves have a soft velvety texture.

Geranium Blog Set For Wild Gardening Frenzy

I'm completely manic with new geranium projects this spring:

• Set up fluorescent light for rooting and seed growing
• Super tough scented geraniums - I'm developing a list of scented geraniums that gardeners in desert cities can count on. Stay tuned for these sizzling recommendations.
• My little online store is now operational. Drop by Sunshine Hill Gardens for scented geranium seeds and cuttings. I've got canna rhizomes, too!
• Scented geranium leaf gallery - 'nuff said.
• In the name of better organization, some of the articles on Scented Geraniums will be moving to the Geranium Blog over the next few days.
• And how about an update on Gracie the Grackle?
• Plus more, more, MORE preying mantids, deformed vegetables, desert tortoise antics, new scented geraniums and lovely pictures.

Amaryllis Fun

I grew four varieties of amaryllis this winter. Somehow I missed getting a picture of Pink Surprise. It was extraordinarily beautiful, I promise you. Sorry you missed it.

Picotee is reputed to have a purple picotee edge on the flowers. What a bunch of malarkey! It has a light pink picotee edge and stands in nicely for a white amaryllis. I am still enthusiastic about Picotee. It is strong and tall and already producing babies.