Geranium Blog

Pelargonium 'Mexican Sage'

Mexican Sage geranium is a large-growing member of the Apricot group. Its scent is kind of spicy. The flowers are about an inch across.

Still Blooming in June

Pelargonium 'Sandalwood' (woodsy scented)

Sandalwood Geranium is outblooming every other scented geranium in the yard! It's normal for them to slow down in the heat of the summer, but Sandalwood just isn't ready for a rest! It is in the shade most of the day except for about 2-3 hours of sun.

Others still blooming - a bit more modestly - are P. 'Old Scarlet Unique' (pungent), P. 'Mexican Sage' (spicy) and P. 'Brilliant' (pineapple). Two more that have just never quit since I got them is P. ionidiflorum (celery) and P. odoratissimum (apple).

Leafcutter Bees Move Elsewhere

Pelargonium 'Mexican Sage'

A whole, un-circle-cut Mexican Sage geranium indicates that the leafcutter bees have found more suitable materials for nest building. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, anyway. They are now carving up the leaves of the Scentimental rose and Victoria sage. That will be just fine.

I've been thinking about this a lot and have developed a strategy to deal with these so-called beneficial insects. At the first sign of a leafcutter bee attack on the scented geranium flowers, I'm going to sit there and wait by their chosen target, knock them down with a spray of soapy water, and then squash them with a flip-flop.

Mexican Sage Geranium Blooms On

Pelargonium 'Mexican Sage' (spicy scent)

Here is a better picture of the blooms of Mexican Sage Geranium. It began blooming on April 13. Each cluster of blooms is like a tight little nosegay. Each petal is light pink in the center with darker pink streaks. The outer edge of the petal fads to white.

Pelargonium Mexican Sage

P. 'Mexican Sage' holds its pink flowers in a tight cluster

It's been a long wait, but now we get a look at Mexican Sage's flowers. Pelargonium 'Mexican Sage' is a spicy scented geranium, a sport of P. 'Apricot'. I'm beginning to get the idea that Mexican Sage will be a large plant. Compare to this photo shortly after arrival.