Say the word “geranium” out on the street, and someone will reply, “I know what that is” and be wrong 9 times out of 10, the plant so-named is actually named Pelargonium.  The common name “geranium” has long been used both of these but botanically speaking, it is not accurate. 

True geraniums are both annuals and perennials (with woody parts.  They are mainly native to the Northern Hemisphere, and have delicate stems and leaves.  The symmetrical flowers are either in clusters or appear singly.  Pelargoniums, on the other hand, are frost-tender as they mostly from South Africa. 

The reason I mention this is due to a conversation I had recently with an employee of a large box store which sells plants among other (lots of) items.  I was looking over the selection offered in the nursery area, and was asked if I would like some help.  They asked and then I asked, “Do you ever get any Geraniums in?”  The immediate answer was “Of course!”, and I was directed to a display of pelargoniums.  The clerk was shocked when I remarked that the plants being pointed out were not the geraniums I was looking for.

This was a textbook example of why referring asking for plants by the botanical name is the best way to assure you get what you’re asking for.  This is also a reason to shop at a full-serve nursery where the sales staff is plant-savvy!

On a sad note, we are losing another specialty nursery in June.  Vintage Gardens of Sebastopol is finally going out of business.  This has been dragging out now for 1 ½ years.  For those of us who looked for and purchased rose varieties that predated the 1950’s and earlier, the source pool has just gotten smaller.  It’s a shame, but par for the financial times.

I hope to see you on April 13 at Annie’s Annuals for a talk on California natives, and again on May 25 for what promises to be an interesting talk on Salvias.  Look on her web site for more details.  (And no, the speaker is not me, but the experts!)