Pelargonium comes from the Greek; Pelargos which means stork. Another name for pelargoniums is storksbills due to the shape of their fruit. Quercifolium refers to the oak shaped leaves (oak - Quercus).
Descriptionedit
Pelargonium quercifolium is a densely branching shrub easily exceeding one meter in height, taller than wide. The stems are soft and coated in green hairs when young and become woody with age. The glandular, sticky, aromatic leaves are divided into 5 or 7 stiff, coarsely toothed lobes. The inflorescence is an umbel of up to 10 flowers with five petals up to 2.5 centimeters long. The flowers are pink with darker pink markings.
Cultivars and hybridsedit
There are many cultivars of Pelargonium quercifolium and a few hybrids. These include:
Pelargonium quercifolium 'Fair Ellen' - A variety with almond scented leaves, pink flowers and dark blotches on the leaves.
Pelargonium quercifolium 'Fair Ellen'
Pelargonium quercifolium 'Giant Oak' - A variety with particularly large almond/balsam scented leaves, pink flowers and dark blotches on the leaves.
Pelargonium quercifolium 'Royal Oak' - A variety with almond/balsam scented leaves, pink flowers and dark leaf veins.
Pelargonium 'Chocolate Peppermint' - A hybrid between P. 'Giant Oak' and Pelargonium tomentosum. It has dark blotches in the centre of the leaves (hence 'chocolate') and a slight minty scent although it is officially classified as pungent scented.
Pelargonium tomentosum 'Chocolate Peppermint'
Pelargonium 'Clorinda' - A hybrid between P. quercifolium and an unknown regal pelargonium. It has sweet, very aromatic oak shaped leaves. Its large pink flowers are courtesy of the regal in its parentage and it goes on flowering for months (spring - summer).
Pelargonium 'Clorinda'
There are a group of 7 pelargoniums bred by Edna Popperwell (UK plantswoman) which all have P. quercifolium and a Regal Pelargonium in their parentage. They range in scents from almond/cedar like P. quercifolium to mint and rose. They are 'Ashby' (rose scented), 'Brunswick' (cedar), 'Copthorne' (cedar), Fairlop (mint/spicy), 'Hemley', 'Orsett' and 'Welling' (all sweetly scented).
Usesedit
As well as being a houseplant or outdoor perennial depending on climate, the leaves are very aromatic and can be used in something like potpourri.
Referencesedit
External linksedit
Jepson Manual Treatment
January 01, 1970
pelargonium, quercifolium, species, geranium, known, common, name, oakleaf, geranium, geranium, native, south, africa, commonly, grown, ornamental, plant, subgenus, pelargonium, along, with, pelargonium, crispum, pelargonium, tomentosum, scientific, classifica. Pelargonium quercifolium is a species of geranium known by the common name oakleaf geranium or oak geranium It is native to South Africa and it is a commonly grown ornamental plant It is in the subgenus pelargonium along with Pelargonium crispum and Pelargonium tomentosum Pelargonium quercifolium Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Tracheophytes Clade Angiosperms Clade Eudicots Clade Rosids Order Geraniales Family Geraniaceae Genus Pelargonium Species P quercifolium Binomial name Pelargonium quercifolium L f L Her ex Aiton Contents 1 Etymology 2 Description 3 Cultivars and hybrids 4 Uses 5 References 6 External linksEtymology editPelargonium comes from the Greek Pelargos which means stork Another name for pelargoniums is storksbills due to the shape of their fruit Quercifolium refers to the oak shaped leaves oak Quercus Description editPelargonium quercifolium is a densely branching shrub easily exceeding one meter in height taller than wide The stems are soft and coated in green hairs when young and become woody with age The glandular sticky aromatic leaves are divided into 5 or 7 stiff coarsely toothed lobes The inflorescence is an umbel of up to 10 flowers with five petals up to 2 5 centimeters long The flowers are pink with darker pink markings Cultivars and hybrids editThere are many cultivars of Pelargonium quercifolium and a few hybrids These include Pelargonium quercifolium Fair Ellen A variety with almond scented leaves pink flowers and dark blotches on the leaves nbsp Pelargonium quercifolium Fair Ellen Pelargonium quercifolium Giant Oak A variety with particularly large almond balsam scented leaves pink flowers and dark blotches on the leaves Pelargonium quercifolium Royal Oak A variety with almond balsam scented leaves pink flowers and dark leaf veins Pelargonium Chocolate Peppermint A hybrid between P Giant Oak and Pelargonium tomentosum It has dark blotches in the centre of the leaves hence chocolate and a slight minty scent although it is officially classified as pungent scented nbsp Pelargonium tomentosum Chocolate Peppermint Pelargonium Clorinda A hybrid between P quercifolium and an unknown regal pelargonium It has sweet very aromatic oak shaped leaves Its large pink flowers are courtesy of the regal in its parentage and it goes on flowering for months spring summer nbsp Pelargonium Clorinda There are a group of 7 pelargoniums bred by Edna Popperwell UK plantswoman which all have P quercifolium and a Regal Pelargonium in their parentage They range in scents from almond cedar like P quercifolium to mint and rose They are Ashby rose scented Brunswick cedar Copthorne cedar Fairlop mint spicy Hemley Orsett and Welling all sweetly scented Uses editAs well as being a houseplant or outdoor perennial depending on climate the leaves are very aromatic and can be used in something like potpourri References editExternal links editJepson Manual Treatment Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pelargonium quercifolium amp oldid 1198595716, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
