White geranium is one of the most famous and beloved plants of gardeners. This flower is a wonderful decoration not only for window sills, but also for garden plots, parks and flower beds.
Many people like white geranium for its appearance and ease of reproduction. In addition, the flower has a number of healing properties and easily gets used to the environmental conditions.
Botanical characteristics and history
The name of the flower comes from the Greek word geranios, which means "crane". There are 2 main types of geraniums - indoor and garden.
Indoor geranium is also sometimes called pelargonium. The homeland of the white geranium is considered to be South and South-West Africa, which speaks of the drought resistance of the plant and its love for the light. In its current form, white geranium first appeared in Holland.
Geranium, like many other items, was brought to Europe by mariners. at the end of the 17th century. They were attracted by an unusually bright inflorescence, unusual for such a hot climate, and there was a desire to adapt it to new conditions. So geranium began to spread throughout the world.
At the end of the 18th century, a flower appeared in Russia and became one of the most popular home and garden flowers.
Appearance
Geranium is a very beautiful and delicate flower. In nature, you can find this plant in a variety of shades. There are geraniums in red, purple, pink and white. White geranium has very delicate white silk petals that make it very bright against the background of lush green leaves. Flowers of this type of geranium have a large number of delicate petals with terry texture.
This variety of geranium has a wide popularity among gardeners because of the ease of its cultivation and the abundance of flowering compared with other flowers.
Description of popular terry varieties with photos
There are not so many varieties and varieties of white geranium in nature. One of the most popular types are fragrant, royal and ampelous. geranium. Each of these species has the most popular varieties, which are described below.
Ice Rose
One of the most popular varieties of white geranium with large flowers, gathered in beautiful inflorescences.
Before opening, the buds contain a lot of white petals having a greenish tide. And after disclosure, they acquire a lilac shade.
Jackie Gold
This is a kind of plant with white fluffy flowers. The leaves of this geranium species are glossy and emerald. Self the plant is perennial and when flowering forms a lush bush due to lateral shoots.
Joan of Arc
It is a perennial, which when flowering forms white petals with pink veins.
Horizon
One of the most unpretentious varieties of white geranium, whose flowers reach 4 cm in diameter.
A distinctive feature of this plant is an accelerated germination process, which reaches 5-7 days.
Cheri (Royal)
This is one of the varieties of geraniums, which is characterized by abundant and long flowering. At the same time, it requires special flowering conditions and begins to bloom only after a long winter. Therefore, it is also called royal geraniums.
Where and how to plant it?
White geraniums decorate houses, windows, and parks, garden plots, greenhouses and flower beds. It is distinguished by unpretentious care, ease of reproduction, besides the variety of varieties makes it possible to plant it in combination with other indoor plants.
Geranium can be planted in 3 main ways:
- seeds;
- shoots from the mother plant;
- ready seedlings.
It should be remembered that you can plant geranium shoots all year round. If you are going to transplant the plant from the street home, then it is better to do this in the fall before the onset of frost.
The most popular breeding method for white geraniums is considered to be transplantation using shoots or cuttings. To do this, you need to cut a few upper stems with leaves in an adult plant.
You can put the shoot in the water and wait for the rootsand then land in the ground. In addition, you can immediately put the stalk in the soil, pre-treated with a solution of potassium permanganate.
Lighting and location
White geranium can be put almost anywhere in the apartment or room. This plant is completely unpretentious in the choice of location.
Geranium loves sunlight, but its deficiency is easily tolerated by a plant, it is enough to provide it with daylight using a lamp.
You can rearrange the pots with flowers in any place, the more they react normally to drafts and temperature drops. However, like many houseplants, white geranium needs enough fresh air.
Soil requirements
White geranium is not demanding on the soil, but it is worth to follow some recommendations on the composition of the soil for the plant.
- For planting geranium should choose loose soil, which is sold in many flower shops. You can choose any good soil for indoor plants, and then add the necessary elements and fertilizers.
- When choosing a soil, check it for insects and mold.
- Pure river sand and several minerals can be added to the finished soil. In addition, the soil for planting geranium should contain peat and turf.
Geranium can be planted in pots or boxes at its discretion and, accordingly, the area of the room.
Before buying fertilizer for white geranium, you should carefully examine its composition. High nitrogen content will adversely affect flowering plants.
Home and Outdoor Care
When caring for white geraniums, the basic conditions necessary for the viability of many houseplants should be observed. Like many plants, the flower loves moisture, but do not overdo it with watering. For him, it is desirable to use well-settled water.
In winter, the frequency of watering is reduced. Lighting is also one of the requirements when growing geraniums, since its lack can lead to shredding of leaves and flowers.
The leaves of white geranium dry and turn yellow with a lack of moisture, and when it is abundant they become sluggish and excessively dull. The geranium pot must be equipped with a drainage system. Flower transplantation may be required if the plant and its roots grow strongly.
Common diseases and pests
Like any houseplant, white geraniums can be attacked by diseases and pests.
- One of the diseases of the plant is the so-called blackleg. Most often, it can affect cuttings, after which they begin to rot and darken. Such infected plants should be removed so that the disease is not transmitted to neighboring plants.
- Geranium may also be subject to fungal diseases, one of which is powdery mildew. It occurs due to high humidity and low temperature, affecting the leaves of the plant with white bloom.Mealy dew can be eliminated by various methods. Usually this disease is treated by treating the leaves with chemical preparations.
- Whitefly and aphid - These are pests that usually settle on the bottom of the leaves and feed on their juice. To eliminate them, special solutions are also used.
Breeding features
One of the popular ways is the method of dividing the bush, in which the plant should be carefully dug and divided into several parts. After this procedure, each bush is planted in a separate pot.
Ready-made bushes for planting can be purchased at specialized flower shops.. It is also worth buying a good soil, treated with special nutrient solutions and fertilizers.
Seed propagation is one of the most complex and labor-intensive geranium breeding processes, but geranium grown in this way is usually more lush and flowering. Seeds can be purchased, but you can from flowering plants.
- Several seeds spread in a moist soil, poured into a glass, covered with soil above the top and cover with glass.
- Every day should be watered, but do not overdo it, so as not to flood the seeds.
- Usually seeds germinate in a couple of weeks at a temperature of 20-24 degrees. In this case, the glass should be raised and removed evaporation.
- After the emergence of shoots capacity should be moved to a lighted place and contain at a lower temperature.
- After 7-8 weeks, sprouts can be planted in pots.
The reproduction of white geranium with the help of seeds is suitable for breeding new varieties, and grafting is used to produce a new bush.
Generally white geranium is an unpretentious plant, care for which is not difficult. The only enemy of its viability is excess moisture, which can lead to the death of the plant. White geranium will be a great decoration for a room or suburban area.
