I just got these geraniums today. It says full sun, but they don't look like they can handle it. I hope I'm pleasantly surprised. Just loved the foliage and don't care if they ever bloom.
Never grew these before..
the stellar 'Vancouver Centenial can indeed handle full sun, even here in southern ga.
the tricolor (frank headley perhaps) would benefit from afternoon shade.
best of luck
drew
Brugie,
'Vancouver Centennial' indeed needs the bright sun to keep the red coloration. If you bring it in for the winter, the red fades to green in all but the sunniest southern window or your greenhouse. When the spring comes and the longer and sunnier days and you put it back out, it reddens up again. I have one that is going on six years old.
Hey thanks. That is good to know. I'm planning on putting them on the front deck railing boxes where they should get a lot of good hot sun. I'm just so anixous to be able to plant something outside. Appreciate the info.
Shirley
I would love to have one of these. Any suggestions? My friend has one but don't know how to propogate?
Thanks
Don't be shocked at the blooms of the 'Van. Cent.' - bright orange and rather glaring! Not what one would call pretty. I've read most people remove the buds and I already took out one flower stem, the other I'm letting grow for a bit, just to see it better. Glad to hear it is ok in full sun 'cause I was planning to move it back a little to more shade when the heat hits the end of this week - hopefully we are done with the rain for a little while!
I had one and it lasted several seasons in the sun. I lost it when I left it in it's pot with a saucer and the poor thing drowned during the winter due to lack of drainage :~( I loved it and plan to replace it once I get over the guilt of killing the first one.
Propagation is simple. take a cutting and stick it in some potting soil. keep it damp but not soggy and it will root.
zany - beat yourself with a wet noodle and then go get a new one! lol
Where did you get them? Great foliage. I am thinking of getting into more Pelagoniums. Most people grow them in pots, but what about straight in the garden??
I got mine at the local drugstore. They carry plants every spring and summer. I wish I had planted it into the garden with the other pelergoniums and it would still be alive! But our climate is good for them. I think most people keep them in pots so they can take them indoors for the winter months.
I have three and a half. the half being a cutting I took of my orginal one. I, too, think the flowers are an odd color with the foliage, but I don't pick them back. I got it to bloom and gol dang it, it's going to bloom! I hustle them off before they go to seeds, though. It is one of my favorite pelargoniums.
Is the Vancouver Centennial the plant in the foreground?
definitely!
I would love to know the cultivar identification for the specimen in the background (behind 'Vancouver Centennial'). I did a web search on the name 'Frank Headley,' and I'm pretty sure that is NOT correct. It does, however, look identical to a cultivar that I have bought several times here in Dallas, identified as "exotic tricolor geranium," which I have always suspected is a generic description, and not an actual cultivar name. Any help in identifying this, one of my very favorite plants, would be very much appreciated!
I have one and it's labeled 'Tri-Color' tm .... I think it's just a renamed one b/c we had three color ones many years ago.
"exotic tri-color" is definitely a marketing tool rather than a cultivar name. I have bought pels with similar leaves from Homey D's and other garden centers in the past with no more name than that. Unless you got if from a pelargonium nursery where they can certify the nomenclature and the parentage, it is probably the descendant of some long ago pel whose name has been forgotten. I have an old book on pelargoniums, I will go and see what I can find in it.
Martha
Don't know if this is the same, but I had one several years ago that had leaves that looked like the one in the background called "Mrs. Cox". Could this be?
It could be. Are the flowers pink or red? 'Mrs. Cox' has pink flowers, according to my book: "Geraniums Pelargoniums" by Helen Van Pelt Wilson. This is from a written description in 1946.
Here's her def of 'Mrs. Cox':
"Truly brilliant tricolor, medium-green leaf center with vermilion and purple zone, light yellow edge. Tall and fast growing plant. Pink flowers. Handsomest of all colored-leaves and rarest."
There is a colored print of the leaf in the book, but the color doesn't look right. I am presuming that the ink used to print it has faded somewhat with age.
Whether mass producers of pels are using Mrs. Cox for this or not, I don't know.
I just saw both of these yesterday along with the incredible lemon scented geranium. Before buying though and since I have no geranium experience I knew I would come here to ask about them. I can;t remember the names on them but they were at a reputable nursery here. I might go back today because I am worried about them being gone!
After reading here I am searching names and found this on Frank Headley (so it isn't a tri-color):
Frank Headley
(Headley 1957)
This one flowers and flowers - very attractive dawn pink blooms on a silver and green foliage - it also has a nice bushy growth habit. Very good for bedding out in a border
Hey! where did you get the info? I would like to check it out. My 1946 book with balck and white drawings and colored plates could use a back up.
Martha
I Googled and came up with this site. It is a UK site but had good pictures and descriptions
http://www.geraniumsuk.com/plants/by-type-9/Fancy+Leaved+Geraniums.htm
Thanks, I just canceled the whole message I had! just a push of a button! and poof! it's gone. I will check this out. I am also looking for a new book. The one I have is excellent but you have to use your imagination when it comes to picturing the plants.
Martha