A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2004 Scented Geraniums

Yeah, Barb...burning with curiosity here....wha'd ya get??????

Let's see.....

I ordered apple scented, strawberry scented, attar of roses, clorinda (pleasant scent/hint of eucalyptus...it has a large showy rose/pink flowers)coconut scented, Prince of orange...pretty flowers on that one.

Also some mixed seed....they said that germination can be erratic, so bottom heat was recommended. I guess i'll have to get something to heat the bottom.

I also got a book on scented geraniums so I hope I will learn more about them and be able to propagate them. I got them from Richters, my first purchase there, so we'll see how it goes. The catalog was really GREAT and interesting, so I'd recommend going on the website and getting one sent to you.

Barbara

Apple!!!? Strawberry!!!!! I don't have those!!
Oooooh!

Checking Richters......

I don't even want to guess what peacock scented might be. A chicken coop keeps coming to mind.
It definitely seems the best scented plants are not the showiest. The Umkcaloabo, a wild relative of scented geraniums produces very small flowers, with a strong fragrance. Mine are setting more seeds. Going to set up a germination test and see if they're any good. Richters is selling it for $11 a very small packet. It looks like these, here and here . If the seed are good, I'll post it and a SASE will get them.
Rick

Rick, that plant is pretty!..and scented, too???

I think I hafta have one.....


BTW,

Has anyone gotten close enuf to a peacock to give it a whiff???

Jillie,

I'll be glad to send you some of my seeds when they arrive, if you'd like? Or, even a few cuttings once they start growing from the plants that are coming.

Peacock....a delicious intense rose fragrance. Send for Richter's catalog...it's really terrific!

Barb

Hiya, Rick!

Peacock is rose scented! LOL, I sneaked a peak at the catalog and that's what it says.

I'll be glad to send you some seeds when I get my seeds I ordered. I'd love to get some of your seeds when they are available! I think they say that you need bottom heat for them....i wonder if you just waited until it warmed up a bit and then i could start them outside when things warm up? What do you think?
Barbara

Gang,

I'm reading the catlog over again and some of the geraniums are listed merely*pungent*.....they
don't give any other description.

Sooooo....usually when someone describes something as pungent....don't you think stinky? Like skunk cabbage, or something??

Barbara

Barb,
The term "pungent" does make you wonder. I'm just guessing, but I would guess that they may be describing a scent that some find pleasant and some don't. Just a guess.
Richters does sell good plants. I have yet to get one that didn't arrive in good shape. That isn't saying that I haven't managed to kill a few of them afterwards.
I have several scented geraniums growing, including a couple of rose scented ones. I don't know where I'd put more. I need a bigger greenhouse just to handle what I have going. Haven't grown the regular scented geraniums from seeds. With the Umkcaloabo, I put 9 seeds (the whole packet) in a single pot of compost, about 1/4" deep. They came up fairly quick. Got 6 plants. The pot was just sitting on a shelf in the greenhouse, with soil temps averaging in the 70s. They seems to set seed at any time of the year. No real cycle to them as far as I can tell. They do like full sun. I keep mine in hanging pots, indoors during the cold and in the garden during the summer.
Most scented geraniums are not at all frost hardy. If you want to plant them outside, be prepared to protect them or wait til summer.
Rick