Description

Pelargonium graveolens is an uncommon Pelargonium species native to the Cape Provinces and the Northern Provinces of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.^[1] It is in the subgenus Pelargonium along with Pelargonium capitatum, Pelargonium crispum, Pelargonium tomentosum and Pelargonium quercifolium.

Pelargonium graveolens is an erect, multi-branched shrub, that grows up to 1.5 m and has a spread of 1 m. The leaves are deeply incised, velvety and soft to the touch (due to glandular hairs). The flowers vary from pale pink to almost white and the plant flowers from August to January. The leaves may be strongly rose-scented, although the leaf shape and scent vary. Some plants are very strongly scented and others have little or no scent. Some leaves are deeply incised and others less so,^[5] being slightly lobed like P. capitatum.

Etymology

Pelargonium comes from the Greek πελαργός pelargos which means stork. Another name for pelargoniums is stork’s-bills due to the shape of their fruit.^[2][3] The specific epithet graveolens refers to the strong-smelling leaves.^[4]

Common names and synonyms

Common names include rose geranium,^[1][6] sweet scented geranium,^[7] old fashion rose geranium,^[6] and rose-scent geranium.^[1]

Pelargonium graveolens is also known by taxonomic synonyms Geranium terebinthinaceum Cav. and Pelargonium terebinthinaceum (Cav.) Desf.^[1] “Rose geranium” is sometimes used to refer to Pelargonium incrassatum (Andrews) Sims or its synonym Pelargonium roseum (Andrews) DC. – the herbal name.^[8] Commercial vendors often list the source of geranium or rose geranium essential oil as Pelargonium graveolens, regardless of its botanical name.

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