Plant Guide

Other Names:  Old Spice Geranium

Description:

A lovely choice for a border front; leaves are deeply lobed and emit a subtle scent of nutmeg when brushed or rubbed; small dainty white flowers with a purple blotch are enjoyed all season long; deadhead to promote re-blooming

Ornamental Features

Nutmeg Scented Geranium features dainty spikes of white cup-shaped flowers with a purple blotch rising above the foliage from mid spring to early fall. Its crinkled lobed leaves remain grayish green in color throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Nutmeg Scented Geranium is an herbaceous annual with a mounded form. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Nutmeg Scented Geranium is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Nutmeg Scented Geranium will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 24 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 24 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 20 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. Although it's not a true annual, this plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Nutmeg Scented Geranium is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It can be used either as 'filler' or as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, depending on the height and form of the other plants used in the container planting. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.