Ivy geranium

Sun

Full sun in mild climates; afternoon shade where summers are very hot.

Water

Moderate; let the surface of the compost dry between waterings. Established plants tolerate brief dry spells, but containers need regular checks.

Soil

Well-drained soil or free-draining container compost; avoid heavy, waterlogged ground.

Height

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m), with trailing stems sometimes longer

Flowers

Late spring to autumn; the species usually has pink to mauve flowers, sometimes white. Garden selections and hybrids also offer red, purple and bicoloured flowers.

Foliage

Evergreen. Glossy, fleshy green leaves with five shallow, pointed lobes; some selections have darker markings or variegation.

Growth

Fast in warm weather

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.7 ft (0.22 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Fast

• Plant outdoors after frost risk has passed, using containers with unobstructed drainage holes.
• Water the compost thoroughly, then let its surface dry before watering again; do not leave pots standing in water.
• Feed container plants every two weeks during active growth with a flowering-plant fertiliser at the label rate.
• Remove spent flower clusters and yellowing leaves to keep plants flowering and reduce grey mould.
• Before frost, move plants to a bright, frost-free place; water sparingly and stop feeding while growth is slow.

Pruning. Pinch young shoot tips in spring to encourage branching, and shorten straggly stems during the growing season. Cut overwintered plants back by about one-third in early spring, removing dead or weak growth.

Early spring

Trim overwintered plants, refresh their compost and gradually increase watering as growth resumes.

Late spring

Harden off protected plants and plant outside after the last frost.

Summer

Check containers frequently for dryness, feed regularly and remove spent flower clusters.

Late summer

Take stem cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots to keep young plants for next year.

Autumn

In frost-prone areas, bring plants under cover before cold nights damage the leaves.

Winter

Keep protected plants bright, cool and frost-free, with sparse watering and good ventilation.

• Trail it from window boxes and balcony planters for long-lasting colour without taking up floor space.
• Use it around the edge of large pots with upright pelargoniums or compact salvias.
• Let stems spill over a sunny retaining wall where drainage is sharp and winters are frost-free.
• Combine it with silver-leaved plants in courtyard containers for contrasting foliage and flower colour.

Garden styles it suits: Mediterranean, Modern courtyard, Cottage garden, Traditional, Coastal and Small-space.

Plant it with: Zonal geranium, Sweet alyssum, Blue fan flower, Silver falls dichondra and Dusty miller.

Wildlife: Open, single flowers can provide nectar for visiting insects; densely double garden forms are less accessible. It is not a native wildlife plant in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada or Australia.

• Grey mould: remove affected flowers and leaves, increase airflow and avoid wetting foliage late in the day.
• Root rot: improve drainage, empty saucers and allow the compost surface to dry between waterings; discard badly rotted plants.
• Aphids and whitefly: inspect shoot tips and leaf undersides, isolate affected pots and use insecticidal soap labelled for these pests if needed.
• Oedema, seen as corky bumps beneath leaves: reduce watering in cool weather and improve light and ventilation.

Toxic to cats, dogs and horses if eaten, particularly the leaves and stems. Exposure can cause vomiting, reduced appetite, lethargy or skin irritation. In people, sap may irritate sensitive skin and swallowing plant material may cause stomach upset; serious poisoning is uncommon. Keep it away from grazing animals and pets that chew plants.

• Zonal geranium (Pelargonium × hortorum)

  Usually upright and bushy, with rounded, softly hairy leaves that often carry a dark horseshoe-shaped band; ivy geranium has smoother, glossier, pointed-lobed leaves and trailing stems.

• English ivy (Hedera helix)

  Climbs using aerial roots and has inconspicuous greenish flowers followed by dark berries; ivy geranium does not cling and bears conspicuous flower clusters.

Pelargonium comes from the Greek for stork, referring to the beak-shaped fruit, while peltatum refers to the shield-like leaf attachment; the common name describes the ivy-shaped leaves.

Propagation. Take short, non-flowering stem cuttings in spring or late summer. Remove the lower leaves and root them in a free-draining propagation mix kept lightly moist, not wet. Seed-grown plants may differ from the parent; cuttings preserve named selections.

Accepted botanical name

Pelargonium peltatum

Native range

Cape Provinces.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.