Martha Washington Geranium Care

Botanical Name: Pelargonium domesticum

Martha Washington geranium gets its name from a once-popular cultivar. Although newer Pelargonium hybrids outshine 'Martha Washington', the name stuck. Today, that early cultivar has been replaced by more vigorous hybrids, with a wide range of spectacular flowers to choose from. These hybrids are also commonly known as Regal Geraniums.

This is a large group of complex hybrids. All have naturally branching stems and dark-green, crinkled leaves. Thick, succulent flower stems bear upright clusters of flat-petaled flowers. Geranium colors include white, pink, red, maroon, salmon and purple -- in many captivating combinations. The top 2 petals often have a bolder color or a contrasting pattern.

Martha Washington geraniums bloom in late winter. If you're growing geraniums indoors, you'll need to give them a little help with the seasons...a rest in summer and a cool autumn will make them set flower buds.

How to Make Your Martha Washington Geranium Re-Bloom

1. Cut it back. In summer, after flowering stops, cut plant back to 4-inch stems (10 cm).


2. Repot. After flowering, repot your plant just to give it fresh soil. Geraniums bloom best if slightly pot-bound, so you can keep it in the same pot. Just be sure it has drainage holes to prevent overwatering -- geraniums don't like their feet wet.


3. Give it a rest. Allow the plant to rest for the summer. Water sparingly and stop fertilizing during this rest. Keep it in indirect light.


4. Cool it off. Give your Martha Washington geranium 2 months of cool temperatures to set flower buds. For the "cooling off" period, move your plant outside in fall when the nighttime temperature drops to 50°F/10°C. Or, you can keep it in a cool basement or garage, where it will get plenty of indirect light. Resume normal watering and fertilizing during this cool treatment.

After following the steps above, you should see flower buds midwinter, and enjoy beautiful blooms in February or March.

Origin: South Africa

Height: 1-2 ft (30-60 cm)

Light: Bright light

Water: Water thoroughly, and allow surface of soil to dry between waterings. Cut back on watering after flowering, but don't allow the roots to dry out completely.

Humidity: Average room humidity.

Temperature: Winter through summer, normal room temperatures (60-75°F, 16-24°C). In fall, 2 months of cool nights (50°F, 10°C) will trigger flower buds.

Soil: Peat-based soilless mix.

Fertilizer: Feed every 3 weeks fall through spring with a high-phosphorus liquid fertilizer diluted by half.

Propagation: Take stem cuttings in spring and root in fresh potting mix.