Pelargonium fragrans Variegatum

The Pelargonium x fragrans 'Variegatum' is an interesting geranium for its beautiful variegated foliage, pleasantly scented, which emits a smell of pine and Eucalyptus with the slightest touch. A long white flowering, with delicate blooms, adds to its charm. It is a small tender bush, usually grown as an annual. However, it is easy to grow, robust, and water-efficient. To keep it from year to year, bring it indoors in winter in a bright, unheated veranda or room. 

The Pelargonium x fragrans is a hybrid between Pelargonium odoratissimum and P. exstipulatum. All Pelargoniums and geraniums (florist or perennial) belong to the geranium family. The genus Pelargonium, which includes about 280 species, is native to South Africa. All are tender plants, more or less frost-sensitive, commonly grown in pots in Europe. However, some Pelargoniums can remain in the ground all year round, especially on our Mediterranean coast. The Pelargonium x fragrans 'Variegatum' is a natural mutation of this hybrid, distinguished by its variegated foliage. It is an undershrub with a rounded habit that reaches about 40 cm (16in) in all directions. The leaves persist in winter if the plant is kept frost-free. They are hairy, soft to the touch, rounded, lobed, and dentate on the edges, measuring between 3 and 5 cm (1 and 2in) in diameter. Their colour is a soft medium green, with creamy white margins. When brushed against, they emit a powerful scent of mentholated pine. This Pelargonium flowers from May-June to September-October. It bears small white flowers barely veined with purple-red, perhaps less spectacular than those of classical hybrids, whether perennial or annual, but more authentic. 

The Pelargonium fragrans 'Variegatum' is appreciated both for its fragrant soft foliage and its good health. So plant it, in a pot or in the ground, in a place where you can touch it, along a pathway or in a pot on the terrace or veranda. Scented geraniums are precious for perfuming a room, where they delight us with their sometimes unexpected and wonderful scents. We came to a halt, one day after the rain, in front of a bed of scented geraniums and immersed ourselves in a small symphony of delicate fragrances. In very mild climates, spared from frost, it is a plant that requires very little maintenance, making it valuable for seaside gardens.

Try flavouring a recipe with the scent of fragrant pelargonium flowers, it works! The edible leaves are used in fruit salads and potpourri.