Geraniums: Pelargoniums vs Hardy Geraniums, Which Should You Grow?

If you want geraniums for a sunny windowsill, look for pelargoniums (the classic red or pink “geranium” sold in garden centers every spring). If you want geraniums to soften a walkway or edge a border, you want hardy geraniums, also called cranesbills, which are true perennial Geranium species that come back every year.

They’re not the same plant, and mixing them up is the one of the most common geranium mistakes I see gardeners make. Below I’ll walk through both, with the specific varieties I’ve grown, what they need, and where they actually thrive.

Wait, Aren’t All Geraniums the Same Plant?

Nope, and this trips up more people than you’d think. “Geranium” got attached to two completely different genera a couple hundred years ago and the common name just stuck.

Pelargoniums are the tender, showy, scented-leaf plants you buy in a four inch pot every May. They’re native to South Africa, they can’t handle frost, and they’re what most people picture when they hear “geranium,” the big rounded flower clusters in a window box or porch pot. In my zone 5 garden, these come in as annuals or get dragged into the garage for winter.

Hardy geraniums (true Geranium, the cranesbill family) are perennials that come back reliably year after year, spread into tidy mounding clumps, and what I would plant along my front walkway because I don’t want to replant it every spring. Their flowers are smaller and more delicate, usually five simple petals, and the foliage often colors up beautifully in fall.

Once you know which one you’re shopping for, everything else gets a lot easier.

Best Pelargoniums for Windowsills and Pots

These are the ones for your sunniest window or a porch container. I grow a rotation of these every summer and they’ve earned their spot.

Martha Washington Geranium (Pelargonium × domesticum)

Grown as an annual outside zone 10 to 11, though I’ve kept one going for two winters on a cool bright windowsill. It tops out around 12 to 18 inches with big ruffled blooms in shades of white, pink, and deep maroon, blooming heaviest in late spring into early summer before it slows down in real summer heat.

Pinch spent blooms back to the first set of leaves to keep it tidy, and give it a rest period over winter with less water and cooler temps, around 55 to 60 degrees, or it sulks and drops leaves. 

Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium × hortorum)

This is the classic red porch geranium, annual in most zones, perennial only in zone 10 and up. Mine sit around 12 to 24 inches and bloom nonstop from late spring through frost as long as I keep deadheading. The “zonal” name comes from the horseshoe-shaped marking on the leaves, which is a nice bonus even when it’s not flowering.

Deadhead by snapping the whole flower stalk off at the base, not just the individual bloom, or you’ll get a mushy stub. These are one of the more forgiving pelargoniums for a first timer, and they tolerate the kind of erratic watering a windowsill pot sees during a busy week.

Ivy Geranium (Pelargonium peltatum)

This is my pick for a trailing window box. Zone 10 to 11 as a perennial, annual everywhere else, and it spills 2 to 3 feet over the edge of a container by midsummer. The waxy, slightly succulent leaves handle heat and dry spells better than the zonal types, which makes it a good choice if your windowsill bakes in the afternoon.

It blooms from late spring through fall. I cut mine back by about a third in midsummer if it starts looking leggy, and it fills back in within a couple weeks.

Scented Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens and others)

Grown more for the foliage than the flowers, rose, lemon, mint, and chocolate mint scents are all common. Annual outside zone 10, they are perfect on the kitchen windowsill through winter where you can pick up their lovely scent while doing the dishes.

Size varies a lot by variety, anywhere from 12 inches to 3 feet, with small, unremarkable pink or white flowers in summer. Pinch the growing tips regularly to keep the plant bushy instead of leggy and woody. Root rot from overwatering is the main issue, these want to dry out between waterings more than most houseplants.

Best Hardy Geraniums for Walkways and Borders

These are the true perennial cranesbills, the ones I actually use to edge paths because they come back every spring without fuss and most deer leave them alone.

Bloody Cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum)

Zones 3 to 8, and one of the toughest edging plants I grow. It forms a mound 12 to 18 inches tall and wide, blooms magenta pink from late spring through midsummer, and the foliage turns a great red in fall, hence the name.

Divide it every 3 to 4 years in early spring or fall if the center starts thinning out. Shear the whole plant back by half after the first flush of bloom and you’ll often get a smaller second round in late summer. I’ve had almost no pest issues with this one in over a decade, it’s about as low maintenance as a perennial gets.

Cranesbill ‘Rozanne’ (Geranium × ‘Rozanne’)

Zones 4 to 8, and this is the variety I recommend to anyone planting a walkway for the first time. It mounds 18 to 20 inches tall and spreads 24 to 36 inches wide, and it blooms violet blue from early summer literally until frost, longer than almost any other hardy geranium I’ve grown.

It doesn’t need deadheading to keep blooming, which is part of why it’s become so popular. Division isn’t usually necessary since it doesn’t die out in the center the way some cranesbills do, but if you want more plants, early spring division works fine. The main thing to watch is powdery mildew in a humid August, good airflow between plants keeps it from becoming a real problem.

Bigroot Geranium (Geranium macrorrhizum)

Zones 3 to 8, and my go to for a shady walkway edge where other things sulk. It grows 12 to 18 inches tall, spreads aggressively by rhizome into a dense groundcover, and blooms pink to magenta in late spring for about three to four weeks. The aromatic foliage is semi-evergreen in milder winters and colors up red in fall.

Because it spreads by those thick roots, division is more about controlling it than rejuvenating it, dig and divide every few years if it’s creeping somewhere you don’t want it. Deer and rabbits mostly avoid it thanks to the strong scent, which makes it a solid pick if you’re already fighting browse pressure elsewhere in the yard.

Meadow Cranesbill (Geranium pratense)

Zones 4 to 8, taller than the others at 24 to 36 inches, so I use it toward the back of a walkway planting rather than right at the edge. It blooms violet blue in early to midsummer and can flop a bit in rich soil, staking or a discreet grow-through support helps keep it upright. Cut it hard to the ground after flowering and you’ll get fresh compact foliage for the rest of the season. Divide every 3 to 4 years in spring. It self-seeds more readily than the others on this list, so deadhead if you don’t want volunteers showing up in the gravel.

How Do You Water and Feed Windowsill Pelargonium?

Let them dry out between waterings, that’s the single biggest thing. Pelargoniums are prone to root rot far more than they’re prone to drying out, and a windowsill pot with poor drainage is the most common way I’ve seen people lose one. I stick a finger an inch into the soil and only water when it’s dry at that depth.

Feed every two to three weeks during active spring and summer growth with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to about half strength, and taper off in fall as growth slows. A pot that’s root bound will need water more often, so if you’re watering daily and it’s still wilting between, check whether it’s time to size up the container.

How Do You Overwinter Pelargoniums Indoors?

You’ve got two real options. The easier one is to bring the whole potted plant in before your first frost, set it on your brightest windowsill, cut back on water, and let it coast through winter with minimal fertilizing. It won’t look great to start, some leaf drop and legginess is normal, but it’ll bounce back.

The second option is to take cuttings in late summer, root them in damp potting mix, and overwinter smaller, more vigorous young plants instead of the leggy parent. I’ve done both, and honestly since I have the room, I prefer to bring the whole pot indoors. 

How Do You Care for Hardy Geraniums?

Hardy geraniums are wonderfully low maintenance once they’re established. Plant them in well-drained soil and water regularly while they’re getting established, then let them handle most of the work. Most varieties grow well in full sun to part shade, although bigroot geranium is especially useful in shadier spots.

After the first flush of flowers, cutting the plants back can encourage fresh foliage and sometimes another round of blooms. Divide them in spring or fall if the clump becomes too large or crowded.

Are Geraniums Toxic to Dogs and Cats?

This is where the naming confusion really matters. True hardy geraniums are generally considered non-toxic and are a safer choice if you’ve got a dog that likes to nose around the walkway border. Pelargoniums are a different story. According to  the ASPCA, they contain compounds that can cause vomiting, lethargy, and skin irritation in dogs and cats if chewed or ingested.

If you’ve got a pet that samples container plants, I’d stick to hardy geraniums for anything at nose height and keep pelargonium pots up out of reach. I go into a lot more detail on which common “safe sounding” flowers are actually risky for pets in my dog-safe flowers guide, it’s worth a read before you plant anything new near a spot your dog has access to.

Are Geraniums Deer Resistant?

Generally, yes, which is part of why I lean on hardy geraniums so heavily along paths that run past open yard. The scented foliage on varieties like bigroot geranium is a real deterrent, and even the milder scented cranesbills tend to get passed over in favor of tastier options nearby.

Pelargoniums are also generally left alone by deer, though a genuinely hungry deer in late winter will nibble almost anything. If deer pressure is a bigger issue in your yard than it sounds like here, I’ve got a full rundown of what’s actually held up in my own beds in my deer-resistant plants guide.

What Problems Show Up Most Often With Geraniums?

For pelargoniums indoors, it’s almost always one or two things: root rot from overwatering, or stretchy, leggy growth from not enough light. A south or west facing windowsill with at least a couple hours of direct sun is the fix for the legginess and of course, don’t overwater. Let the soil dry up on top.

For hardy geraniums outside, powdery mildew in humid late summer is the main complaint, especially on ‘Rozanne’ and meadow cranesbill if they’re planted too close together. Good spacing and a hard cutback after the first bloom flush usually keeps it in check. Slugs will occasionally chew new spring growth on the softer leaved varieties, but I’ve never had it be a serious problem, just cosmetic.

FAQ – Geraniums: Pelargoniums vs Hardy Geraniums

Can pelargoniums survive outside year round?

Only in zones 10 and up. Everywhere else they’re grown as annuals or brought indoors for winter.

What’s the easiest hardy geranium for a beginner?

‘Rozanne.’ It blooms longer than almost anything else in the perennial border, doesn’t need deadheading, and tolerates a range of soil types.

How far apart should I plant hardy geraniums along a walkway?

Space most varieties 18 to 24 inches apart to give them room to mound out without crowding, which also helps with airflow and mildew prevention.

Do geraniums need full sun?

The prevailing wisdom is that Pelargoniums want at least four to six hours of direct sun for compact, well-flowered growth. My personal experience is they have done just fine on my shady porch with only 2 hours of sun. Hardy geraniums are more flexible, most tolerate part shade, and bigroot geranium actually prefers it.

Can I grow hardy geraniums in containers too?

Yes, especially compact types like bloody cranesbill. Just know they’ll need winter protection in a pot even in a zone where they’d be hardy in the ground, since roots in containers are more exposed to cold.

Why did my pelargonium stop blooming in midsummer?

Heat stress is common once temperatures climb into the 90s. Keep up with deadheading and consistent watering, and it should pick back up as temperatures cool in late summer.

Do deer eat geraniums?

Generally, no. Hardy geraniums are usually left alone by deer, especially strongly scented varieties like bigroot geranium. Pelargoniums are also generally deer resistant, although hungry deer may nibble almost any plant.

Are geraniums perennials

It depends on which type you mean. Hardy geraniums, or cranesbills, are true perennials that return every year. Pelargoniums, the familiar geraniums grown in pots and window boxes, are tender perennials in warm zones but are usually grown as annuals in colder climates.

Are Geraniums poisonous to dogs?

Hardy geraniums are generally considered non-toxic to dogs. Pelargoniums are different and can cause problems if eaten, including vomiting and lethargy. If your dog likes to chew plants, keep pelargoniums out of reach.

How do you deadhead geraniums?

For pelargoniums, remove the entire flower stalk by snapping or cutting it off at its base rather than removing only the spent flower. Hardy geraniums vary by variety, and many don’t require deadheading, although cutting them back after their first flush of flowers can encourage fresh foliage and sometimes another round of blooms.