Pelargonium zonale - description

Zonal pelargonium belongs to the graceful decorative indoor plants that adorn not only homes, but also offices. The ability to bloom for six months, lush leaves, unpretentious care made her a universal favorite.

Pelargonium zonale (Pelargonium zonale) - what kind of decorative flower is it, what family does it belong to?

Geranium zonal (zonale) is a representative of the Geraniev family, numbering more than 400 representatives. Outwardly, they practically do not resemble the usual indoor cultures.

Pelargonium zonal

A brief description of why it is called that, the history of origin or selection

The culture is native to Africa, it came to European territories in the 17th century. Breeding was carried out by Dutch breeders, thanks to whose work many varieties appeared.

Pelargonium quickly spread to private collectors' greenhouses and botanical gardens. The primary species characteristics of the plant have faded over time, but the result of selection work was subspecies with long flowering and non-standard foliage coloration.

Important! The culture has become widespread throughout the world. Today it is grown in apartments and planted to decorate household plots.

Zonal pelargonium - what does it mean? The name arose from the unusual color of the foliage with a pronounced darkish rim. It comes in brownish, dark green, purple, burgundy and chocolate tones.

Secondary classification is based on plant size:

miniature specimens - grow up to 13 cm;
medium height - up to 60 cm;
tall ones grow up to 80 cm.

Pelargonium garden

Varieties of indoor plants with names, what they look like

The constant work of breeders allows you to choose the most suitable type of pelargonium for certain conditions. The main differences between flowers are in size, shape of inflorescences and color of petals.

Yu-Jiga

Pelargonium Tuscany and its varieties Edwards, Bernd and others

It is a standard subspecies with a straight stem and medium size. Coral inflorescences are terry type, rather dense. Pelargonium Yu Jiga pleases every lover of home plants with its beauty.

Lake

Differs in unpretentiousness, the inflorescences have a spherical shape, salmon buds, the petals of which become lighter closer to the edge. Rounded foliage with a brownish border, the bush grows to medium size.

Rafaella F1

It is characterized by a compact appearance and a height of up to 30 cm. Suitable for keeping in rooms, loggias and in a flower bed. Terry buds are milky, orange, peach, scarlet. The variety was bred recently and is rarely found on the free market. Easily tolerates hot and cold conditions.

Note! If the plant is properly cared for, then the buds will form all year round.

Pelargonium Rafaella F1

Bold Gold

Grown in the open air and in homes. It is characterized by abundant flowering.The foliage has a light green color with a brownish ring located in the center. The buds are pink and red.

Minx and others

Pelargonium Lara Harmony has double flowers with a lilac tint; its large umbrella-type inflorescences appear from the beginning of spring and wither by the end of autumn. Differs in diminutiveness. Pelargonium Lara Harmony has buds that resemble roses.

Minx is characterized by its small size and bright scarlet petals. In combination with dark foliage, they stand out strongly. Each variety has its own characteristics, experienced florists collect whole collections that differ in growth and color of inflorescences. Pelargonium Silk Swan is interesting for its massive stem, covered with dense leaf plates and snow-white buds.

Important! In flower shops, sellers do not always understand the culture. When buying, it is better to focus on Latin names.

Among indoor plants you can find:

Pelargonium Lara Delight with medium size, fuchsia inflorescences and a white heart. In addition to splendor, it is distinguished by an unusual tone of petals. Pelargonium Lara Delight is to the liking of flower growers who love bright and rich colors. For the garden, plants are selected with a larger size or more calm tones of buds.
Pelargonium Yu Disko can be found on rare occasions, it does not belong to the popular ones. The petals are painted in pale pinkish tones, the buds are collected in umbellate inflorescences. The spherical type of flowers are located on high peduncles and stand out from other crops.
Pelargonium Yu Knyaginya - characterized by pink-like inflorescences with a light pink tint. After a while, its petals curl up into tubes, giving it an unusual appearance.
Pelargonium Yu Kathak has an unusual color of leaf plates: the general yellow background is emphasized by a brownish border. Terry inflorescences, with a bright red tone. A large bush can easily survive pruning.

Important! In flower shops, plants of various subspecies are sold (Yu Gamayun pelargonium, Yu Lilac Mist, Yu Sirin), but the workers usually do not divide them. As a result, the buyer gets a mix of geraniums of different shades.

Pelargonium Minx

Home care for zonal pelargonium

For geraniums, zonal home care requires special. Without it, the plant will refuse not only to bloom, but also to grow.

Illumination and temperature conditions

Pelargonium Elnaryds Hilda and other varieties of the Elnaruds series

A pot with Yu Bolero pelargonium is placed in a room with diffused light and a day length of 16 hours or more. In summer, the temperature regime is maintained at +20 ℃, in winter - +15 ℃. A sharp cold snap can provoke the fall of the peduncles.

Watering rules and humidity

In summer, the crop is watered up to 3 times a week, in winter, the amount of irrigation is reduced to reasonable limits.

Additional Information! The plant easily tolerates slight drought and does not require spraying.

Top dressing and soil quality

For a flower, use a universal mixture from a store or mix in equal proportions turf, peat and leafy soil. During flowering, pelargonium needs feeding with mineral compounds containing a sufficient amount of potassium and phosphorus elements. Fertilizers are applied every 14 days.

Important! To enrich the soil, mixtures with nitrogen cannot be used - it causes active growth of the green mass of the bush.

Fertilizing agent

Flower container size

The container should exceed the volume of the root lump by 1 cm.

Pruning and replanting

Withered peduncles require removal, after the end of the flowering period, all branches are shortened by a third of the length. This approach activates the development of side shoots. Pruning helps to form a compact plant, and cuttings are used for propagation.

Features of flowering plants

Pelargonium Millfield Rose

Budding in most subspecies takes place from spring to autumn.At the end of it, the time for rest comes, and the plant hibernates until the last winter month.

Important! It is undesirable to use the methods of extending the flowering time recommended by many amateurs. Artificial stimulation leads to severe depletion of the plant.

A period of activity and rest

Daylight hours during hibernation are reduced to 12 hours, the frequency of soil moisture and temperature is reduced. During this period, the flower is pruned. It cannot be transplanted and fed.

By March, daylight hours increase, as well as the number of waterings. In the same month, standard care for pelargonium is carried out, with top dressing and transplantation (if necessary). Preparatory measures for the dormant period begin in September.

Types and shape of flowers

All subspecies of zonal pelargoniums are conventionally divided into three subgroups:

non-double;
semi-double;
terry type.

The division depends on the number of petals. The most beautiful specimens have 8 or more pieces. According to the second classification, the division of culture makes it possible to distinguish categories that resemble:

a rose;
tulip;
an asterisk;
cloves.

On a note! Of great interest are the varieties that bloom like regular cacti.

Pelargonium on a personal plot

Flower propagation methods, when it is better to do it

New specimens in the collection are obtained by cuttings or seed methods. Each has its own pluses and minuses.

Propagation by cuttings

Refers to the simplest procedures. It means receiving scraps, cleaning them from the bottom of the foliage and sending them into a glass of water. Some flower growers prefer to plant cuttings directly into moistened soil, with a depth of 3 cm. The appearance of the root system is expected in a few weeks.

Seed propagation

The technique helps to reproduce rare species, but it takes more time. The seed is collected from the peduncles, after the formation of dry bolls on them. Cultivation is carried out in the spring months:

one piece is planted in each container;
cover with plastic wrap or glass;
periodically open and remove accumulated moisture.

Important! The first shoots will appear in a month. After growing up, they are transplanted into larger pots.

Propagation by cuttings

Growing problems, diseases and pests

The presence of diseases is determined by the general state of the culture and its appearance. Some specimens may experience yellowing of the leaf plates, their dryness or lethargy, which can mean serious problems:

gray spots on the green part indicate the development of gray rot, the source of the lesion is excessive waterlogging of the substrate;
insufficient lighting is manifested by pulling out shoots and the absence of peduncles;
a reddish tint of leaf plates appears at low temperatures.

Attacks by parasitic insects have their own symptoms:

Spider mite - attacks the culture with increased dryness of the indoor air. It is manifested by drying foliage and silvery cobwebs on the green part.
Mealybug - determined by a whitish bloom on the plates. The attack occurs with constant waterlogging of the soil.
Whitefly - looks like miniature butterflies. The parasite quickly forms colonies and covers the entire plant.

Important! The onset of symptoms of a lesion requires therapeutic measures to save a sick flower.

How to deal with them

For the treatment of fungal pathologies, fungicidal solutions are used. The plant is transplanted into a new container with a fresh substrate, before the procedure, all affected areas are removed and sprinkled with activated carbon powder.

The fight against parasitic insects consists in mechanical processing of the green part with a cotton pad with soapy water and spraying it with insecticidal agents. The event is carried out several times, until the complete destruction of the pests.

It is not difficult to care for pelargonium, if the rules are followed, it will delight with bright buds that do not fade for six months.