Loading AI tools
Species of flowering plant From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pelargonium crispum (the "crisped-leaf pelargonium") is a Pelargonium species native to the Western Cape Province, South Africa. It is in the subgenus Pelargonium along with Pelargonium graveolens and Pelargonium capitatum and Pelargonium tomentosum.
Pelargonium crispum | |
---|---|
Pelargonium crispum, detail of flower | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Geraniales |
Family: | Geraniaceae |
Genus: | Pelargonium |
Species: | P. crispum |
Binomial name | |
Pelargonium crispum (P.J.Bergius) L'Hér. | |
Pelargonium crispum is quite a large, shrubby, branching species, growing up to 70 cm tall. The leaves are usually arranged along the stems in two opposite rows (distichous arrangement).
The leaves are small (10mm diameter), green, lemon-scented, fan-shaped, and have distinctively crisped (crinkled or wavy) edges.
The small (25 x 5-8mm), white-to-pink flowers appear in Spring to Summer, in small groups or alone, on short pedicels.[1][2]
"Pelargonium" comes from the Greek ("pelargos" which means "Stork", and another name for pelargoniums is "storksbills" due to the shape of their fruit). "Crispum" refers to the crisped, crinkled leaf-margins.
There are many cultivars and hybrids of Pelargonium crispum as it hybridizes readily with other species in the Pelargonium subgenus. These cultivars and hybrids include:
Note: Most Angel Pelargoniums are crosses between a regal pelargonium and Pelargonium crispum.
This species occurs in the Western Cape Province, South Africa, between Worcester in the north, and Bredasdorp in the south, as well as eastwards into the Little Karoo region.
It occurs in rocky, sandy soil on lower slopes, in arid proteoid fynbos as well as renosterveld vegetation.[6]
As well as being a houseplant or outdoor perennial depending on climate, Pelargonium crispum has a couple of other uses. Firstly, the leaves are edible and are used in salads or for flavouring cakes and stir-fries. Secondly, the leaves are very aromatic and can be used in something like potpourri.
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.