The Geranium (Pelargonium) is the most popular indoor house plant in America. One of the “big three” that’s grown popularly here, they are the hardiest of the group and are easily grown and cared for. They can be the central attraction for any window garden or room dcor. They come in an enormous variety of shapes, colors, and sizes.

The Geranium is commonly broken down into four major classifications to keep track of all the various strains and types of flower that fall into this family. These four classifications are: Show or Fancy (also called Lady Washington), the Zonal or Fish, the Ivy, and the Scented-leaved.

The Show, Fancy, or Lady Washington variety of Geranium is a very showy plant that produces large flowers that bloom for a few months of the year. These often appear in the summertime and grow in a wide range of colors and usually have a distinctive black spot in the center of each petal.

The Zonal or Fish Geranium is the plant you’ll see in homes most often. Because it flowers nearly every day from spring until fall, it’s quite popular. They will try to use their energy to grow, however, so trimming and care are needed to force flowering and keep the plant’s size under control. While the flowers of this type of Geranium aren’t as showy as others, they make up for it by blooming much longer.

The Ivy-leaved type of Geranium is, as it says, an ivy. This means it grows quickly and can be trained to climb or “snake” as you’d wish. Properly cared for and pruned, these can be one of the most beautiful of the Geraniums in a garden or home.

Finally, the Scented-leaved Geraniums are very popular in homes because, as their name implies, they are quite perfume heavy. They can be grown with other plants to make for a beautiful scent arrangement to complement the beautiful flowers they produce for a short time each year.

Mixing and matching these various types of Geranium is another popular way that enthusiasts display these flowers. Utilizing the Zonal, Scented-leaved, and Ivy for ground cover, indoor accent, and scent, they can complement many flowering plants such as the beautiful flowers of the Lady Washington when it blooms. All together, they make for a wonderful assortment that any grower would be proud to display.

Caring for these flowers is a little work, but well worth the effort in the payoff they give. Learning more about how to care for them and keep them free of disease while nourishing them properly will greatly increase your success.