Geranium flowers grow in shades of red, pink, purple, orange and white.
Geraniums usually get attention for their distinctive flowers, which grow in clusters in a variety of colors. Versatile geraniums may be grown indoors or outdoors. Scented geraniums, like the citronella, are recognized more for their fragrance than their blossoms. Identifying a citronella geranium is not difficult once you know what characteristics to look for on the plant. Does this Spark an idea?
Citrosa Geranium
Citrosa (or citronella) geranium, Pelargonium citrosum, is more commonly known as the mosquito plant because of the fragrance it releases. The citronella geranium grows 2 to 4 feet tall, and when grown outdoors it is hardy in USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11. Citrosa geranium may be grown indoors or outdoors. It is also known as the citronella plant because it releases a citronella scent when the leaves are crushed, or rubbed aggressively. The plant's mosquito-repelling properties only work when the leaves are activated in this way, and it will not deter the insects 100 percent of the time.
Leaves
Citronella geranium is an evergreen plant that keeps its scented foliage year-round. The leaves are medium green in color, growing around a central flower stem. The leaves are long and slender in shape, with deeply loped ridges all the way around. The most distinctive feature of the leaves is their citronella aroma, which smells slightly lemony or citrus-like.
Flowers
Violet purple flowers bloom on the citronella geranium in the summer. Flowers of scented geraniums vary greatly from other geranium cultivars; they are smaller in size and grow in smaller clusters at the end of long stems. The flowers generally grow with five petals each. In contrast to the leaves, citronella geranium flowers bear no scent.
Form
The citronella geranium displays shrub-like growth that's centered around a main foliage rosette. Main stems are woody and grow in a generally erect, upright pattern. Few flowers bloom on the plant, and they may be difficult to see among the heavily leaved stems.
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