Pelargonium zonal RE-AL® - Zonal Geranium RE-AL®

Invite a symphony of colours into your summer plantings with the Zonal Pelargonium RE-AL®! This iconic annual geranium stands out with its generous double blooms in ball-like flower heads, offering a multitude of vibrant hues that brighten balconies, terraces, and gardens. Although many varieties exist within this lineage, they all share similar growth characteristics and maintenance needs, guaranteeing reliable performance. Recognizable by its velvety leaves and distinctive stripe, Zonal Pelargonium is the ideal choice for an easy-care splash of colour and texture throughout the warm season.

Characteristics

• Foliage: Large, velvety, hairy leaves, often with a distinctive dark brown "zone" or stripe in the middle, resembling a horseshoe. Leaves are thick, fleshy, and slightly serrated. Foliage is evergreen but the plant is grown as an annual.
• Flowering: Produces abundant and long-lasting double flowers in dense, ball-like flower heads (umbels), blooming from May well into autumn. It comes in various vibrant colours, including red, pink, orange, white, and attractive bicolours.
• Light Requirements: A true sun-worshipper. Needs full sun (6+ hours of direct sunlight per day) for maximum flowering and intense colouration.
• Habit: Upright and bushy habit, with thick, fleshy stems.
• Growth: Its growth is fast and vigorous. It can reach a height of 25 to 50 cm (10 to 20 inches) and a similar width, depending on variety and available space.
• Humidity: Requires average water needs. Prefers moist but well-drained soil. Does not tolerate waterlogged soil.
• Soil: Prefers well-drained soil. For container planting, it's recommended to add a layer of hydro- or clay granules at the bottom to absorb excess water.
• Temperature: Warm-season plant. Does not tolerate frost and must be grown as an annual in cold climates.
• Watering: Regular watering. As it loves sun, it needs a good amount of water, but always with excellent drainage to prevent overly wet roots.
• Resistances: Offers excellent outdoor performance.

Usage

• Types of Use: Ideal for individual pots and tubs on balconies and terraces, hanging baskets, flower beds, and borders in gardens. Can be used as an upright central plant in container arrangements or for grave plantings. Also suitable as a cut flower.
• Decorative Benefits: Its vibrant array of colours and familiar ball-like flower heads create a cheerful and colourful visual impact. The velvety texture of its foliage also adds a unique tactile interest.

Maintenance

• Fertilization: For prolonged and abundant flowering, add liquid plant food to the watering schedule every fortnight.
• Pruning: Deadhead withered flowers by breaking off the entire stem to encourage new blooms even faster. This extends the flowering period well into autumn.
• Planting:
  • In pots: Choose a pot with good drainage holes. Plant at the same depth as the plant was in its original container. Repot every 1 to 2 years in spring to accommodate its growth.
  • Period: Plant after all risk of frost in spring, when nighttime temperatures are consistently above 10 °C (50 °F).