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Re: pelargonium sididoides (sidoides; sidaefolium?)

>Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 14:07:25 -0800
>To: sean.ohara@ucop.edu
>From: Michael Barclay <opga@mail.wenet.net>
>Subject: Re: pelargonium sididoides (sidoides; sidaefolium?)
>Cc:
>Bcc:
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>>At 01:22 PM 2/20/98 PST, rachel wrote:
>>>Well, if I can digress from zonal pelargoniums for a moment, I'd love
>>>to plug a beautiful pelargonium that I planted last year.  P.
>>>sididoides has beautiful grey-blue leaves and small charming magenta
>>>flowers with an orange eye all year long.  It grows in low mounds, about 12"
>>> by 24", and propagates by means of runners.  Few of the little
>>>plantlets (what is the technical word for these) seem to root of
>>>their own accord.  But I've had good luck cutting them off, rooting
>>>them inside, and transplanting them.
>>>
>>>I have had no trouble with any diseases, and it seems to get by with
>>>benign neglect.
>>
>>This species made a sudden appearance on our horticultural scene a
>>couple of years (or so) ago, and has not become a 'regular' in the
>>nursery trade.  In trying to find out more about this species, I can to
>>find the following:
>>
>>- It is in the section (of Pelargonium) Cortusina, along with P. fragrans
>>  (the 'Nutmeg' scented Geranium), P. crassicaule, P. reniforme
>>
>>- It was apparently previously classified as a form of P. reniforme, but
>>  was given separate status as P. sidaefolium (I think 'sidoides' is a name
>>  of dubious distinction).  P. reniforme is very similar, but with magenta
>>  flowers.
>>
>>- It comes from the Eastern Cape of South Africa, where many of the most
>>  versitile garden plants come (conditions are variable in the area between
>>  the winter & summer rainfall areas, hence plants are more adaptable).
>>
>>I've been trying to track down the origin of the name 'sidoides', and to
>>verify if my assumption (above) is correct (there is enough proof for me
>>but then its always nice to have confirmation).
>>
>>My wife and I enjoy this plant.  We grow on in a pot along with our
>>collection of scented (it has no scent, just interesting character ;-).  I
>>took numerous cutting last year, all of which rooted easily (perhaps the
>>reason it has become so ubiquitous in the trade!), and am now planning to
>>plant some in the garden.  The 'runners' Rachel mentions above seem to be
>>the long, branched, flower stems, which produce flowers repeatedly over a
>>long period.  Having seen this type of flower panicle on my various P.
>>fragrans cultivars, I cut them off when they get to ridiculously long.
>>Left on, they can produce plantlets.  These can be used for propagation, but
>>I found that the numerous stems of the clump strike faster and grow into
>>a better plant more quickly.
>>
>> Sean A. O'Hara                     sean.ohara@ucop.edu
>> 710 Jean Street                    (510) 987-0577
>> Oakland, California 94610-1459     h o r t u l u s   a p t u s
>> U.S.A.                             'a garden suited to its purpose'
>> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
>> Ask me about the worldwide Mediterannean gardening discussion group
>
>Dear Sean,				22 Feb.  1998
>
>Erna Morris brought me my first P. sidoides, labelled, when she visited my
>garden for the first time
>eight years ago.  I've passed on cuttings and am delighted it has become a
>staple in the trade.
>That is the result of my bringing six lil'uns to Emerisa for Muchtar six
>years ago.  They now sell
>it in both of their nurseries (wholesale & retail) in 4" pots.  Benign
>neglect but no competition
>and plenty of sun is what they want.  I now grow them in pots, strawberry
>jars, usw.  Erna who'd
>beeen sent by Ted Kipping had no idea how much I love dark magenta--one of
>a group of colors I
>indescriminately call "bloodclot".  I have a rare dioecious primula in
>bloom right now but it only blooms for
>6 weeks whereas sidoides keeps me amused all the time.
>Fondly,
>Michael D. Barclay
>opga@hooked.net

PS- Its name was P. sidoides in my 1911 copy of Bailey's Cyclopoedia.  Some
part of it must look like
sid, but which Sid?  I also grow a Rh. siderium, a triflora probably
related to the same sid.  MB
>
>
>
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