Herb: Ivy-Leaved Geranium


Latin name: Pelargonium peltatum


Family: Geraniaceae (Geranium Family)



Medicinal use of Ivy-Leaved Geranium:

All parts of the plant are astringent.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
150 cm
(5 feet)

Flowering:
May to
July

Scent:
Scented
Shrub

Habitat of the herb:

Grows in scrub along the coast or on dry rocky hillsides.

Edible parts of Ivy-Leaved Geranium:

Leaves and buds - raw or cooked. An acid flavour, they are used as a vegetable.

Other uses of the herb:

A blue indigo dye is obtained from the flower petals. It is used in painting. An essential oil is obtained from the plant.

Propagation of Ivy-Leaved Geranium:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse. Stored seed should be sown in early spring in a greenhouse. The seed germinates best with a minimum temperature of 13°C, germination usually taking place within 2 weeks though it sometimes takes some months. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. If trying them outdoors, plant them out in early summer and consider giving them extra protection during the winter. Cuttings succeed at almost any time in the growing season but early summer is the best time in order for the new plant to become established before winter.

Cultivation of the herb:

Grows in scrub along the coast or on dry rocky hillsides.

Known hazards of Pelargonium peltatum:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.