Pelargonium ionidiflorum

Pelargonium ionidiflorum is a small shrub growing to 50 cm in height.

Its flowers have five narrow, delicate petals. Flower colour varies from pale pink to dark purplish pink. The upper (posterior) petal pair has dark red markings, the lower (anterior) three do not. The flowers are borne above the ferny, soft foliage. The flowering season is often all year round.

The fruit of this (as many other pelargoniums), has a tail appendage that coils spirally, serving to drill into the ground for "planting" the seed wherever dispersal had deposited it.

The species is distributed in inland parts of the Eastern Cape Karoo. Its habitat is karoid, rocky valleys among scrub. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century.

The plant is a garden favourite on account of its floriferous nature, long blooming season and alluring fragrance. It is often grown in containers, especially in hanging baskets. It is also used as a groundcover. The plant responds to periodic cutting back (www.anniesannuals.com; www.digthedirt.com; www.plantzafrica.com; http://redlist.sanbi.org).