Scented geraniums are easy to walk past. Their flowers are small and modest, and from a distance the plants look like ordinary greenery in a pot. The magic is in the leaves. Rub one gently between your fingers and it releases a scent of rose, lemon, mint, apple or spice, depending on the variety. For centuries now, gardeners have kept them close for exactly that reason.
Not quite geraniums
The plants we call geraniums on porches and windowsills belong to the genus Pelargonium, not to the true geraniums, the hardy cranesbills of the genus Geranium. The two were grouped together in early botanical works and the common name stuck. Most pelargoniums come from southern Africa, and European botanists and traders brought them back from the Cape region in the 1600s.
The scented-leaf types became especially popular in Victorian England, where they were grown in pots in parlors and on sunny sills. A story often told holds that they were placed where long skirts would brush the leaves as people passed, releasing a puff of fragrance. Whether or not that was common practice, it captures the appeal: a plant that gives off its scent when touched.
A whole family of scents
Rose geranium is the best known, with a sweet, rosy, slightly minty fragrance. There is also a lemon-scented type with small, crinkled leaves, a peppermint-scented one with soft, velvety leaves and many others with notes of citrus, nutmeg or fruit. The potted citronella plant sold in garden centers each spring is usually a lemon-scented pelargonium as well.
Bakers have long used a leaf or two of rose geranium to perfume a jar of sugar or line the bottom of a cake pan. If you are curious about trying that, be sure you know exactly which plant you have, and stick to varieties known for culinary use.
From windowsill to perfume bottle
In the 1800s, perfumers in France began distilling geranium leaves for their rose-like note, which offered some of rose’s character at a fraction of the cost. Production later spread to North Africa and to the island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean, once known as Île Bourbon, which is why you may still see the name Bourbon geranium. Today much of the world’s geranium oil comes from Egypt and China.
Geranium essential oil is a common ingredient in floral blends. As with any essential oil, dilute it well before it touches skin, try a small patch first and stop if you notice irritation. Keep oils away from children and pets, and talk with your doctor before using them during pregnancy or if you have a health concern.
Growing them through a Georgia summer
- Plant in a pot with fast-draining soil. Scented geraniums dislike soggy roots.
- Give them morning sun and some afternoon shade once the summer heat arrives.
- Water when the top inch of soil feels dry rather than on a fixed schedule.
- Pinch the growing tips now and then to keep the plant bushy.
- Bring pots indoors to a bright window before the first frost, since they are tender to cold.
Set one by the back steps or the porch chair where you will brush past it every day. It is a small daily pleasure: a touch, a scent and a moment’s pause on the way in and out.