Are Geraniums Annuals Or Perennials? [The answer will surprise you!]

Are Geraniums annuals or perennials? Are you one of those people in the garden center that has to stop and remember what an annual is vs. a perennial? The truth is all of us have probably been there at some point unless gardening is our only true love.

An annual plant completes one life cycle and dies in one season. A perennial plant lives two years or more. Geraniums can be annuals or perennials, and their status changes according to where and how you grow them.

Pelargonium is the Latin name for geranium. These plants do not tolerate cold, so they are often grown as annuals. But given a few little tricks, they can be grown as perennials. Let us share a few of those tricks with you in the rest of this article.

A bush of blue hardy geraniums in the backyard. Flowering bush of indigo flowers blooming in a botanical garden or backyard in spring outside. Delicate perennial wild blossoms growing in nature, Are Geraniums Annuals Or Perennials [The answer will surprise you!]

Annuals, Perennials, Houseplants

Are Geraniums annuals or perennials? The answer is yes, and all of the above. Geraniums have long been a favorite for gardens because of their color, ease of growing, and their attractive scent. There is more to consider when deciding how to grow geraniums. So let's delve just a little deeper.

Be astonished about these full-sun annuals that bloom all summer!

Growing Geraniums As Annuals

Geranium is a genus of 422 species of annual, biennial, and perennial plants that are commonly known as geraniums or cranesbills.

Annual means that the plant only lives for one growing cycle, from germination to seed production. If you plant an annual variety of geranium, it will not grow back next year. Annual geraniums are different than true geraniums; annual geraniums are part of the Pelargonium family.

Growing Geraniums as annuals is pretty simple, which is why they are a garden favorite. Planting annual geraniums is a great way to grow geraniums if you enjoy the planting season each year, especially if you do not have space to grow plants indoors in colder winter temperatures.

First of all, geraniums are lovers of the sun. Oh, you too, then these are the flowers for you.

Consequently, loving the sun makes these plants drought tolerant. The soil needs to dry out just slightly before the next watering. Experts recommend that you water with a water-soluble fertilizer, and remove dead flowers to keep these annuals blooming all summer.

Check out this list of red geraniums including some of the annual varieties.

Growing Geraniums As Perennials

A bush of blue hardy geraniums in the backyard. Flowering bush of indigo flowers blooming in a botanical garden or backyard in spring outside. Delicate perennial wild blossoms growing in nature

Perennial geraniums will grow back the second year after being planted. A perennial plant will live two or more years.

Perennial varieties of geranium are also commonly called cranesbill, wild geranium, pure geranium, or hardy geranium. Another common name for perennial geranium is creeping geranium. It is hardy in zones 3-9, loves to grow in light shade, or morning sun and afternoon shade.

Similarly to annual geraniums, hardy geraniums prefer the soil to dry to the touch before the next watering. If they get too wet, the leaves will drop.

Perennial geraniums are tough plants, adapt to their environments well, so while each variety of geranium is different in terms of care, these plants are hard to kill.

Geranium Edressii is hardy or perennial geranium. To read more about it, click here.

Growing Geraniums In Containers

Vibrant red and pink blooming geranium flowers in decorative flower pot close up, floral wallpaper background with red and pink geranium Pelargonium

Also, geraniums make excellent container plants. By growing geraniums in containers, you can bring them inside over the winter to grow them all year long.

To begin your geranium container garden choose the right size pots and your soil mix. Plant your geraniums and enjoy them all year long. Before the first frost hits move your geraniums indoors and place near a south or west-facing window to enable bright, long-lasting light. You can even plant them in your garden, and transfer them to a pot for winter, and replant them outdoors after the last frost.

Combine these moss garden ideas that would go perfectly with these geraniums.

Where To Buy Geraniums?

blooming geranium varios colors

Depending on the time of year, and your location geraniums are usually pretty easy to find, especially at local nurseries or hardware stores. If you are planning your garden for next year geraniums should be on the shortlist for flowering plants.

Where To Buy Annual Geraniums Online?

Grow Joy has a beautiful and extensive selection of geraniums varieties from which to choose your favorite plant. Click here to see more.  

Amazon sells this brilliant Maverick F1 geranium. A packet of 100 seeds would fill your garden with flashes of color. To find out more about this amazing plant on Amazon, click here.

Where To Buy Perennial Geraniums Online?

Amazon sells this lovely container of Cranesbill geranium. This perennial geranium makes a beautiful ground cover while adding touches of color to your garden space. Click here to see more on Amazon.

Brecks.com has a broad range of color choices if you are looking to buy hardy geranium online. Click here to see more.

Where To Buy Geraniums For Containers Online?

Similarly, Amazon sells these dark blue geraniums that are perfect for containers, balconies, and window boxes. Five pieces with an 87% germination rate. Click here to see more on Amazon.

Will Geraniums Flower All Year?

Geraniums require night time temperatures of 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit to bloom. Consequently, spring-early summer and fall are the main flowering seasons for geraniums. Geraniums need a full day of sunlight to thrive, which in most places rules winter out of the blooming time unless you add a supplemental light.

Be amazed about these annuals that bloom all summer!

Are Geraniums Sun Or Shade Plants?

Pink red and violet geraniums

Geraniums in general like a full day of sunlight, they will often tolerate morning sun and afternoon shade. These plants are native to South Africa, so they are used to lots of light, and moist to dry soil.

Pelargonium vs. Geranium

In the 17th century, pelargoniums were brought to Europe, and because of the similarity to geraniums, they were called Geraniums. They aren't part of the geranium family.

The term Geranium in the world of botany refers to a winter-hardy perennial shrub. Even though these plants are called by the same name, there are differences. Thus the reason geraniums are annuals, perennials, and houseplants.

More About Geraniums

Geraniums are one of the most popular garden plants and have been for centuries. We have done a large amount of research about geraniums and posted an extensive list of posts to help you with all of your geranium growing needs. So be sure to take advantage of all that knowledge, and check out those posts.

Choosing The Right Variety For You

Geranium macrorrhizum with green leaves in the background

Now that you know that different varieties of geraniums are annuals, perennials, or houseplants. You have the information you need to choose the right plant for your garden, ground cover, window boxes, or containers.

Why not use this information to create a beautiful geranium container garden? While you are at it why not share the love, and gift container geraniums to friends. Either way, leave us a comment and let us know your favorite variety of geranium or pelargonium.

Here is a complete guide on how to plant geraniums.

Included in this post are topics about Perennials -

20 Best Perennials for Zone 6 Gardens

15 Short Perennials That Bloom All Summer

Are Geraniums Annuals or Perennials

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