Pelargonium sidoides flowers

Pelargonium sidoides bears dark burgundy or purple flowers in many-flowered umbels. Individual flowers are small, appearing on long purplish pedicels. The hairy green sepals can be observed in the picture, clutching the corolla in the unopened buds, while spreading widely and orange brown in colour on the open and withered flowers.

The petals are oblong and narrow with rounded to angular tips. The difference between anterior and posterior petals is not as marked as in many other Pelargonium species, although the flower is still zygomorphic or two-lipped. Flowering may occur throughout the year, but peaks in spring and summer, the rainy season of its habitat.

This Pelargonium is probably deciduous, dying back during the dry, cold winter months in the wild. The species is not strongly frost resistant and is thus often planted in containers and positioned in protected, sunny spots to maintain it as an evergreen (Wikipedia; www.plantzafrica.com).