13 Types Of Geraniums: Learn Which Type Produces The Best Blooms

There are many types of geraniums in nature, considering it is one of the world’s most popular genus of flowering plants.

Also known as the Cranesbill plant, it is popular for its large and showy flowers that bloom for quite a long time in the spring to summer. This guide brings you 13 of the most vibrant geranium types that look great and can be easily grown at home.

Types of Geraniums 

1. Garden Geraniums (Pelargonium Domesticum)

Garden geraniums, also known as Zonal geraniums or Pelargonium domesticum, are the most common variety out there. Scientifically, it is a hybrid of two geranium species and has been named Pelargonium x hortorum. It is also the most reasonably priced geranium you will find on the market.

This type is identified by its long flower stems and flowers that are ball-shaped with a large number of layered petioles. The colors of these flowers also offer a large variety, ranging from red, white, pink, peach, and burgundy to purple and mixed colors. These flowers will keep on blooming continuously from spring till fall time. Keep dead heading flowers during the flowering season to increase the production of more flowers.  

As for the foliage, the leaves are dark green and shaped like a fan. This is quite a hardy plant and makes the ideal houseplant for first-time geranium parents. Still, ensure you fulfill its light and watering needs with great care. 

Geraniums luckily have no need for fancy fertilizers or special soil. It is simply a matter of having plenty of organic matter in loose soil.

2. Ivy Geraniums (Pelargonium peltatum)

This variety, called Pelargonium peltatum, looks very different from your average geranium. Firstly, its leaves tend to be much glossier and shinier than other varieties. Secondly, their flowers are much heavier than the long and lean stalks they grow, making them hang down like bells.

Because of this property, many nurseries will sell this plant to you in hanging baskets. This is undoubtedly one of the best ways to grow this variety, but you can also grow it in pots and containers if you like. Geranium ivy plant has a long flowering season lasting from spring to the end of summer. 

These geraniums grow best in well-draining soil that must be kept moist almost consistently and under partial sunlight for at least six to eight hours a day. It is a warm growing plant, so make sure you move it inside the house during winter if you like growing it outside.

This plant survives winters quite well indoors in a temperature-maintained building. Still, there is no reason to place this plant near a radiator. At temperatures above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, its leaves will begin to burn, and you will see them turning brown and brittle.

3. Regal Geraniums (Pelargonium)

This variety also goes by the names of Martha Washington geraniums, Lady Washington geranium, or Pelargonium. It is the most easily recognizable among all geranium varieties. Each of its flowers has two colors on its petals; a darker color on the inner parts of the petals with a lighter color around the edges.

These colors make different types of patterns on the rather larger-sized flowers. Some newer hybrids of lady Washington plants have been created with two different colored petals. The upper two petals are of one color, whereas the lower three are of an entirely different but contrasting color.

This variety also goes by Fancy Leaf geraniums because it has leaves that come in various shades of green. Some varieties have properly variegated leaves growing. Some varieties have leaves with differently colored veins running through their centers.

This is a comparatively more sensitive type of geranium. We recommend growing it indoors, but we understand their leaves and flowers’ appeal as flower beds in a garden. In such a case, you will have to discard the flower beds before winter because Lady Washington geraniums cannot tolerate frost and cold weather.

4. Scented Leaf Geraniums

Scented geraniums are all the rage these days, and there is no wonder why. This geranium variety comes in all sorts of scents: Apple, chocolate, mint, lemon, rose and cedar, etc. You can choose any scent you like and have your garden smell like that for the rest of the plant’s life.

It is important to note that the scent here emanates from the leaves and not the flowers. You can rub two leaves together to produce a stronger scent. The foliage might be more serrated, circular, or lacier than your average geranium foliage. These leaves are also self-cooling which means this variety tolerates heat better.

You might be disappointed by the flowers of this type, though. They are small in size and come in rather subdued shades of pink and white. They might not be the glamorous flowers you would have expected of a geranium, but they look cute in their tiny forms. 

One special type of this scented plant, the citronella type, has a strong ability to repel mosquitoes. The fragrance industry is using most other varieties to make expensive perfumes. You can get your house to smell naturally like that with only a very basic level of plant care.

5. Springtime Geranium (Geranium Phaeum)

You might know this type by its scientific name, Geranium phaeum springtime. It is also known affectionately as the Mourning Widow’s plant, the Black Widow’s, or the Dusky Crane’s Bill plant. It is among the smaller types of geraniums with thin, elongated green stems on which deep burgundy flowers bloom.

The leaves are velvety in texture due to a layer of fine hair. When these leaves first grow in early spring, they have a variegated pattern. The leaves eventually lose their variegation throughout summer and settle into an even-toned green color. Older leaves on a springtime plant will always be without variegations.

This type can tolerate full to partial sunlight all summer long, but we still advise you to plant it someplace slightly shady. Take special care to water it on time if it is placed under the direct sun because it is more at risk of sunburn when dehydrated. Being a perennial, it will flower yearly unless the winter frost in your region kills it.

6. Geranium Sanguineum (Hardy Geraniums)

This is one of the most common types of perennial geraniums. It also goes by other names such as Bloody Cranesbill plant or the Bloody geranium. It has a rather bushy growth habit and grows upto 18 inches in length. It is also called Hardy geranium, which many consider among the true geraniums.

It produces classic geranium flowers that are large, showy, and cup-shaped. These flowers bloom from late spring to late summer and are of deep magenta-pink color with even darker veins. 

It is one of the easiest types to grow by yourself as all it needs is partial light and frequent watering. It is an extremely tough plant that is resistant to a variety of pests, diseases as well as deer. Anyone can grow and propagate the Bloody geranium even with very little gardening experience.

7. Angel Geranium

The Angel geranium plants look quite similar to Zonal geraniums because they tend to be smaller. It is an evergreen plant with a bushy growth habit that produces small-sized leaves. Its unique aspect is that it tends to flower from early spring till early fall.

It produces showy flowers that are purple with petals that are velvety in texture. These flowers have a white throat and lighter-colored lower petals. The darker petals are outlined on the edges with a lighter cream color. Geranium flowers do not get any more exuberant or gorgeous than this.

These plants only grow up to 16 inches tall and become wider with time. You can plant them outdoors in the garden under full, bright sun and it would not mind. Their soil naturally needs to be fertile and well-draining. Initially, you will need to water regularly, but the Angel plant gets quite drought-hardy after it establishes its roots.

Another good thing about this plant is that it is a natural mosquito repellant. You will have a much better time outdoors if a bush of Angel geraniums is planted there. The bad news is that it tends to be toxic for cats and dogs. If you have curious pets at home that like to chew on the pretty plant, then you need to keep them safe from this specific type.

8. Meadow Cranesbill

This is one of the tallest varieties of geraniums, growing up to average heights of two to three feet. It is easily recognizable not only due to its tall and thin stems but also from its delicate light-green foliage. Many people consider these flowers boring, but we think their subtle look lend the plant a certain air of elegance.

The Meadow Cranesbill plant produces many medium-sized flowers from late spring till the middle of summer. Each of these flowers has five petals, is saucer-shaped, and blue or violet in color. If you prune these flowers off during early summer, you will experience a rebloom that lasts well into fall.

This is the perfect plant for growing in flower beds and ground covers. If you want to plant it in pots, that is also a viable option. Its blooms attract many types of butterflies, so that is another distinct advantage to this variety to look forward to.

The care needs of this variety are more or less the same as other Cranesbill geraniums. It performs well under full as well as partial sunlight conditions.

Make sure the soil is not moisture-retentive because it is sensitive to overwatering. Although this variety is generally pest and disease-resistant, it does succumb easily to root rot and powdery mildew fungal infections.

9. Geranium Summer Skies (Geranium Pratense)

Geranium pratense or geranium Summer Skies is the aptest name for this type with violently violet and lavender blooms. It develops double flowers, which means that flowers are present within other flowers. Blooms typically start appearing in late spring and last till late fall period. They might last well into winter in areas with relatively warmer winter.

Summer skies are considered among the fast-growing perennial varieties of geraniums that obtain their maximum height of 12 to 20 inches in a short amount of time. You must plant it in loamy, acidic, and preferably humus-rich soil with good water drainage.

The foliage produced by this plant is not as remarkable as its flowers, but it does complement it very well. The leaves are greyish-green and divided into two halves. Fertilize adequately from spring till late summer to keep those blooms coming. Cut back the older flowers so that more new ones can grow.

10. Wild Geraniums (Woody Geranium)

This is also known as the Woody geranium as it natively belongs to the woodlands of North America. Other common names are Woody Cranesbill and Spotted Cranesbill geraniums. This type has the special ability to be used for various herbal and medicinal purposes.

It is a rhizomatous geranium producing stems and clusters of leaves growing up to 30 inches tall and 20 inches across. Individual leaves can be identified as having five to seven lobes and white, fine hair on their undersides. Each leaf has a corrugated and irregular margin.

Sadly, Woody geraniums bloom for only one month at any time between early spring to late summer. Flowers bloom in clusters of two to five flowers, giving them their showy appearance. Otherwise, the individual flowers are small and measure only one and a half inches across. The color varies from mostly lavender, purple, and pink to white in rare cases.

Because it is a wild-growing variety, it will not be easy to grow it as an ornamental variety. Plant it in flower beds under full to partial bright sun and take the usual care precautions. Deadheading is not a good option for this type of geranium because it only blooms once per season.

11. Stellar Geraniums (Stellar Pelargonium)

These commonly go by the name Stellar pelargonium and are a rather bushier form of geraniums. Their flowers, too, have five petals like most other geraniums but are deeply incised, which gives them a unique star-shaped appearance. Another reason you can identify them is their thin, leggy stems.

The most common flower colors of this type are red, salmon, and light pink. They are among the most vibrant types of red geraniums in nature. Some combination hybrid varieties, such as the quantum light pink, produce pale pink flowers with darker-colored veins.

One of the best things about this type of geranium is its excellent disease and pest resistance. It is among the easiest to grow types with only the bare minimum of care. Plant it in fertile but well-draining soil with plenty of sunshine, and you will see that it begins to flourish well all by itself.

12. Dreamland Geraniums

These annual geraniums are noted for their long flowering period lasting from late spring and early summer till frost appears. It produces the prettiest pink flowers with a lighter center and darker veins running through them. These flowers are characteristically large and cup-shaped.

This type can be easily grown anywhere from flower beds to pots and containers. It can also be grown easily indoors, provided full sun via a southern-facing window. Exposure to good lighting is important from the start of spring for the flowering to occur on time.

Not only flowers but the leaves of the dreamland variety are also very fresh looking, having deep lobes and a dark grey-green color. This plant is not particularly noted for its good height, so these flowers form a sort of bedspread of leaves over the ground or in the container where they are being grown.

13. Geranium Macrorrhizum (Big Root Geranium)

This is a type of herbaceous geranium from Turkey that we think deserves to be included in this list for its eye-catching flowers. It is also unique because it is almost two feet long!

Also known as the Big Root geranium, it produces large-sized pink-purple leaves with characteristic darker veins running through the petals. These flowers begin flowering during summer in big clusters and continue blooming throughout the summer. As with most geraniums, you can cut off old flowers to promote the growth of a new one in its place.

You can plant it in any well-draining potting medium under bright sunlight, and it will establish its thick roots there. The best thing is that it is also resistant to disease, pests, deer, rabbits, and drought. 

Conclusion

It is not hard to find gorgeous geraniums that are also easy to grow and get to bloom. They don’t have complicated rituals that need to be followed in order to flourish.

Some types are popular for their flower colors and shapes, while others are sought after for their unique scents.

This article discusses various geraniums, our favorite being the ivy types of geraniums for hanging baskets. We are also fond of the scented type because of the novelty and potential of its fragrant leaves that it has instead of flowers.