Pelargoniums Or Geraniums

Geraniums are found in temperate regions worldwide, while pelargoniums mainly grow in warm or subtropical areas.

There is ongoing debate among growers about whether to call these plants geraniums or pelargoniums. In 1753, Linnaeus published his "Species Plantarum," which established the naming system but did not recognize pelargonium as a separate genus. Instead, it used geranium for the 20 known pelargonium species at the time. The name geranium was used for 40 more years before pelargonium was accepted.

Geraniums are found in temperate regions worldwide, while pelargoniums mainly grow in warm or subtropical areas, especially in South Africa, with some in New Zealand, Australia, and a few islands. These areas can be very dry for part of the year. True geraniums have 10 fertile stamens and regular-shaped flowers, whereas pelargoniums have irregular flowers with up to 7 fertile stamens and a nectar spur.