YardMate
English
Download
Ivy Geranium (Pelargonium peltatum), whole plant
  • Ivy Geranium — close-up of leaves and flowers
  • Ivy Geranium — seasonal appearance
  • Ivy Geranium in a garden setting

Ivy Geranium

Pelargonium peltatum

Easy · Beginner friendly

About Ivy Geranium

Ivy Geranium is a tender perennial grown as an annual in most US zones, producing trailing stems 18–36 inches long with glossy, ivy-shaped leaves and clusters of single or double flowers in pink, red, lavender, and white. Spectacular in window boxes, hanging baskets, and balcony railings—especially iconic in Alpine-style window box displays popular from Colorado to the California coast. Blooms continuously from late spring until frost when deadheaded and fed regularly.

  • Drought-tolerant
  • Heat-tolerant
  • Trailing
  • Container-friendly
WATER
Regular
Top inch dry
LIGHT
Full sun
6+ hrs direct
HARDY
Hardy to 20°F (-7°C)
USDA hardiness zones 9–11

How to care for Ivy Geranium

Watering

  • Springevery 5 days
  • Summerevery 4 days
  • Fallevery 10 days
  • Winterevery 21 days

Soil · Well-draining

  • Top dressingPine bark mulch10%
  • Main mixPotting soil + perlite 2:170%
  • DrainageLECA / gravel20%

Never skip the drainage layer — standing water is the top cause of root rot.

FERTILIZER

Balanced Feed 14-14-14

An even feed covers all three needs at once, keeping leaves, roots and blooms moving together with nothing pushed out of balance.

N33%P33%K33%
  • Nitrogen · Leaves
  • Phosphorus · Roots + Blooms
  • Potassium · Strength
  • Springevery 14 days
  • Summerevery 14 days
  • Fallevery 30 days
Get watering reminders for Ivy Geranium — free on iPhoneDownload on the App Store

At a Glance

  • NativeAfrica
  • Height1–3 ft (0.3–0.9 m)
  • Spread2–3 ft (0.6–0.9 m)
  • Flower colorRed, Pink, Coral, White
  • Foliage colorGreen, Variegated
  • SoilLoamy, Well-drained
  • LocationsYard · Balcony · Indoor

Bloom time

BLOOM CYCLE

Peak bloom

Mar–Nov

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Cascading flower clusters spring to frost

Fragrance

LIGHT FRAGRANCE

Mild herbaceous scent from crushed leaves.

Toxicity

Humans Slight · Pets Moderate

geraniol and linalool

Slight

  • Leaf
  • Stem
  • Ingestion
  • Contact

EXPOSURE Eating leaves and stems. Touching leaves and stems.

EFFECT Geraniol and linalool essential oils can cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.

NOTE Documented concern for humans: Geraniol and linalool essential oils can cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.

Moderate

  • All
  • Ingestion

EXPOSURE Eating any part of the plant.

EFFECT Vomiting, anorexia, skin irritation, depression.

NOTE ASPCA lists Pelargonium as toxic to dogs and cats.

Moderate

  • All
  • Ingestion

EXPOSURE Eating any part of the plant.

EFFECT Same as dogs.

NOTE ASPCA lists Pelargonium as toxic to dogs and cats.

Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

DISTRIBUTION

Ivy Geranium · Native
  • Native
  • Introduced
  • Africa

History

Illustrated historical scene for Ivy Geranium

Pelargonium peltatum is native to the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa, growing as a scrambling climber in coastal bush, riverbanks, and sheltered forest edges where it climbs over shrubs and rocks using its weak trailing stems for support. The species was introduced to European horticulture in 1701 by Simon van der Stel, Dutch governor of the Cape Colony (1679-1699), who sent specimens to the Leiden Botanical Garden. The species epithet "peltatum" means "shield-shaped" referring to the leaf architecture where the petiole attaches not to the leaf margin but to the back-center of the leaf (a peltate leaf — compare lotus leaves), a distinctive feature that distinguishes ivy-leaf geraniums from the more common upright-growing Pelargonium x hortorum zonal geraniums.

The trailing branching stems and vigorous cascade habit make ivy-leaf geranium the signature hanging-basket and window-box plant of Mediterranean Europe. It is particularly iconic in the flower-box tradition of Swiss and Bavarian Alpine village architecture — the endless summer window-box displays of geraniums spilling from every available ledge in villages throughout Tirol, Bavaria, the Italian Dolomites, and Switzerland have been a defining feature of Alpine tourism aesthetic since the 19th century.

Hybrid breeding has produced many modern cultivar series including "Cascade," "Decora," "Balcon," and intersectional hybrids with the zonal geraniums (P. x hortorum x P. peltatum). Flower colors include red, pink, salmon, white, purple, and burgundy, with many modern double-flowered and bicolored forms.

Symbolism & meaning

What It Symbolizes

The Ivy Geranium carries the geranium meaning of true friendship, the kind of genuine companionship celebrated in the Victorian language of flowers. Paired with comfort, its cottage-window cascades evoke a homey warmth — windowboxes spilling pink and red across a quiet street. It is a flower that anchors itself, both literally and emotionally, to the threshold of home.

  • True friendship — geraniums symbolize genuine companionship
  • Comfort — cottage-window charm evokes homey warmth

Where the Name Comes From

Genus from Greek 'pelargos' (stork) for the beaked seed pod; 'peltatum' means 'shield-shaped', describing the leaves.

Uses & Fun Facts

  • Trailing Ivy Geranium classic for window boxes and balcony rails
  • Cascading stems with ivy-shaped leaves and pink-red blooms

Related plants

More Pelargonium plants

Plants with similar care

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Ivy Geranium?

In summer, water about every 4 days; in winter, about every 21 days. Adjust for heat, pot size and drainage.

How much light does Ivy Geranium need?

Full sun: 6+ hrs direct. Watch the leaves — scorching or stretching means the light needs adjusting.

Is Ivy Geranium toxic to cats or dogs?

Pets Moderate (Dogs Moderate · Cats Moderate) Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

Is Ivy Geranium easy to grow?

Yes — it is considered an easy, beginner-friendly plant.

Can Ivy Geranium be grown indoors?

Yes, it adapts well to indoor growing given the right light.

When does Ivy Geranium bloom?

It typically blooms Mar–Nov in the Northern Hemisphere.

YardMate

Identify any plant in seconds

Snap a photo — YardMate names the plant, diagnoses problems, and reminds you when to water.

Download on the App Store
YardMateIdentify · Diagnose · Remind
Download