Pelargonium cordifolium leaves

The faintly scented leaves of Pelargonium cordifolium, the heart-leaved pelargonium, are heart-shaped as both names indicate. The Latin word for heart is cor or cordis, while folium (also Latin) means leaf.

The leaves are dark green on their upper surfaces, whitish from dense hairiness on the lower ones. The occasional persistent old leaf turned orange or red is typical of the species.

The leaf margins are finely toothed. The leaf surfaces are sometimes wavy, usually folding in along the midribs. Leaves may be between 5 cm and 7 cm long (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; http://pza.sanbi.org).