Pelargonium Royal, Angels And Unique

Pelargoniums are very variable, they easily give hybrids when cross-pollinated, and this ability has been actively used by humans to obtain artificial hybrids since the 18th century. Since the middle of the last century, their number has exceeded 10 thousand, and not only new varieties are constantly appearing, but also whole groups with interesting, unexpected signs in the structure of flowers and leaves. Some popular groups - in this article.

Royal Pelargonium (Regal)

The name Royal Pelargonium is adopted in relation to this group of hybrid pelargoniums in Great Britain, according to the botanical classification it is domestic pelargonium (Pelargonium x domesticum), while in Germany the name Pelargonium grandiflorum is more common after one of the parent species, Pelargonium grandiflorum.

Royal Pelargonium Rimfire

Royal Pelargoniums are characterized by woody shoots at the base, evergreen large-toothed, heart-shaped foliage in outline, cup-shaped folded upwards, like in the second parental species of this group - Pelargonium cucullatum. The foliage is large, beautiful, its shape ranges from whole heart-shaped to lobed to varying degrees, with large uneven teeth along the edge. Lush umbrella-shaped inflorescences consist of a few but large, up to 5 cm in diameter, flowers, often resembling, in general outline, flowers of simple or double petunias. Due to their branching, there are quite a lot of them on the plant, so the flowering turns out to be abundant and colorful, from May to August-September. The color of the petals is from white to black and red, across the entire spectrum of pink, red and purple tones. Often the petals are decorated with spots or strokes of a contrasting color,corrugated, fringed, or ragged edges. For them, as for other pelargoniums, foliage is inherent in glandular hairs, which determine their roughness and the presence of a characteristic geranium smell when touched or rubbed in some varieties (many varieties have odorless leaves).

These pelargoniums do well on the windowsill only if kept cool. In summer, plants are preferred outdoors - for this it is better not to plant them in open ground, where the flowers can beat the rains, but to put them in a container in a sheltered place. The pot should not be large, since highly developed and fattening plants bloom worse. In August, the plants are cut and kept cool for at least 6 weeks, after which a light and cool windowsill is selected for the plants - this is the key to good, abundant and early flowering from the beginning of next summer.

This pelargonium can rightfully be called the queen of window sills, but in the middle of the last century she was reputed to be a modest "village beauty" that adorned small European settlements. Today it is the second largest group and the availability on sale of the group after zonal pelargonium - hybridizers have been working with it since 1800, and now there are large producers of new hybrid varieties, of which many have already been bred. Here are some of them.

Varieties of royal pelargonium

Royal Pelargonium Ann Hoystead

Royal Pelargonium Askham Fringed Aztec

Ann Hoystead - up to 40 cm in height, with large inflorescences of dark red flowers, the upper petals are almost black due to large dark spots;

Askham Fringed Aztec - up to 30 cm in height, flowers with deeply fringed white petals with purple streaks extending from the center;

Pelargonium royal Black Prince

Pelargonium royal Bredon

Black Prince - up to 40 in height, dark plum flowers with silvery rims along the edge of the petals;

Bredon - up to 45 cm in height, with ruffled, dark red flowers, with black-purple feathers on the upper petals;

Pelargonium Royal Bushfire

Royal Pelargonium Carisbrooke

Bushfire - up to 50 cm, bright red flowers with a dark spot on the petals;

Carisbrooke - up to 45 cm in height, flowers are light pink, with marble spots and strokes on the upper petals;

Pelargonium royal Funchal

Funchal - the light pink color of the edges of the petals turns into bright pink, and then into a dark crimson spot in the center;

Pelargonium royal Georgina Blythe

Pelargonium royal Joy

Georgina Blythe - up to 35 cm, with large, bright orange-red flowers with burgundy veins, with lighter lower petals, white at the base;

Joy - up to 45 cm, with reddish-pink flowers 4.5 cm in diameter, with a white neck and ruffles along the edges of the petals, reminiscent of primrose flowers;

Pelargonium Royal Lavender Grand Slam

Royal Pelargonium Lord Bute

Lavender Grand Slam - up to 40 cm in height, with mauve flowers, upper petals with dark purple feathers;

Lord Bute - up to 45 cm, deep wine-colored flowers with pale pink edging petals torn along the edge;

Royal Pelargonium Margaret Soley

Pelargonium royal Morwenna

Margaret Soley - up to 30 cm, with large flowers up to 6 cm in diameter, with light red petals with a dark red spot (larger on the upper petals), with scarlet edging around the spot, with a network of dark veins, wavy along the edge and slightly swirling;

Morwenna is a compact variety with very large, satin, black - wine, lacy along the edge of the petals, flowers;

Pelargonium royal Sefton

Pelargonium royal White Glory

Rimfire - with large black-burgundy flowers with a lighter red wavy edge and a network of dark veins;

Sefton - up to 35 cm in height, with bright red flowers that have a dark red-purple spot in the center of the petal;
White Glory - up to 45 cm, with lush inflorescences of large pure white flowers without streaks and spots up to 7.5 cm in diameter.

Candy Flowers is a series of varieties designated Pelargonium grandiflora, bred by the German company Elsner Pac by crossing the Royal Pelargonium and the Angel Group Pelargonium specifically for outdoor cultivation. According to the growing conditions, it is closer to the angels. This series is characterized by earlier flowering than royal pelargoniums, does not require cold winter maintenance, continues flowering at high temperatures and strong insolation. The flowers are larger than those of the "angels", abundant.

Candy Flowers Bicolor (Cambi)

Candy Flowers Bicolor (Cambi) is a pale pink bicolor variety with a bright pink spot on the petals and veins.

Candy Flowers Bright Red (Camred) - a variety of the same series of radiant cherry red with a fuzzy black spot on the petals;
Candy Flowers Dark Red (Camdared) - a variety of the same series with velvety dark red flowers with a black spot on the petals, the back of the petals is lighter.

Candy Flowers Bright Red (Camred)

Candy Flowers Dark Red (Camdared)

Angels (Angel)

Low varieties with medium-sized, pressed, crenate at the edge of the leaves and "angelic faces" of flowers, reminiscent of pansies. But they are named by angels after the first variety of the miniature royal series "Angeline", which was later used in hybridization. Due to the fact that Pelargonium crispum was included in the hybridization of this group of varieties, some angels inherited fragrant foliage from it. Angels bloom from August to late summer, but the abundance of flowers decreases as autumn approaches. Do not need cold wintering.

Pelargonium angel PAC Angeleyes Burgundy

Pelargonium angel PAC Angeleyes Viola

PAC Angeleyes Burgundy - one of the varieties of the Angelyes Series "Pacviola" with dark purple-red upper petals and the same spot on the lower petals, with a burgundy mesh of veins;

PAC Angeleyes Viola is another of the Angelyes Series "Pacviola" varieties. It blooms very profusely with medium-sized pink flowers with a crimson spot (larger on the upper petals). The foliage has a citrus scent.

Pelargonium Angel Darmsden

Pelargonium Angel Imperial Butterfly

Darmsden - up to 30 cm in height, with small rounded leaves, the upper petals are cherry pink with a dark burgundy spot, the lower ones are white with a lavender-pink tint.

Imperial Butterfly - up to 30 cm tall, white flowers, with magenta feathers on the upper petals. The foliage is scentless, but the flowers have a faint lemon scent.

Pelargonium Angel Spanish Angel

Pelargonium Angel Tip Top Duet

Spanish Angel - up to 30 cm in height, flowers up to 3.5 cm in diameter, the upper petals are dark red, almost black, with bright fringed edges, the lower ones are lavender, with purple feather markings.

Tip Top Duet - up to 35 cm in height, with rounded leaves, the upper petals are wine-red with pink edges, the lower ones are pale pink with purple veins.

Unique

Most of the unique varieties have been known since the middle of the 19th century, for hybridization, presumably, Pelargonium fulgidum and its varieties were used. These are rather tall evergreen bushy pelargoniums with woody stems, collected in small flower heads, resembling royal pelargoniums, but smaller in size. They differ from them in more deeply irregularly dissected leaves, sometimes two-colored, with a pungent spicy smell. The flowers are odorless, predominantly red, with dark spots and streaks, less often pink, salmon or white.

This is one of the easiest pelargonium groups to grow. In summer they can withstand rainy weather well. In autumn, the plants are cut above the lignified parts and transferred to the windowsill. Cuttings take root more slowly than royal pelargoniums.

This group of varieties is not very numerous, so they are truly unique pelargoniums. Some varieties have survived from the Victorian era, such as Paton's Unique, known since 1870.

Pelargonium Unique Copthorne

Pelargonium unique Crimson Unique

Copthorne - up to 50 cm in height, with leaves quite deeply dissected on the lobes, with a spicy aroma. Light inflorescences of lilac flowers with a purple mark on the upper petals rise above the plant.

Crimson Unique - up to 50 cm tall, deep wine-colored flowers with a black spot and veins at the base of the petals. The leaves are dark green.

Pelargonium Unique Mystery

Pelargonium Paton's Unique

Mystery - up to 35 cm tall, with rounded, velvety fragrant leaves and inflorescences of deep purple-red tones with an almost black eye and a network of dark veins on the petals.

Paton's Unique - up to 50 cm tall. Leaves are grayish green, deeply cut, five-lobed, with an apricot aroma. The flowers are pink with a white throat, with chestnut veins.
Pink Aurore - 30-40 cm tall, with dense inflorescences of large dark pink flowers with maroon spots on the upper petals. Leaves are green, compressed, deeply lobed.