Description:

Geranium is a genus of 422 species of annual, biennial, and perennial plants, commonly known as geraniums or cranesbills. They are found in temperate regions and tropical mountain areas, with the greatest diversity in the eastern Mediterranean. Geraniums typically have palmately cleft, circular leaves and five-petaled flowers in colors such as white, pink, purple, or blue, often with veining. They grow well in any soil as long as it is well-drained and can be propagated by semiripe cuttings, seeds, or division. Some species, like Geranium viscosissimum (sticky geranium), are protocarnivorous. Geraniums also serve as food for larvae of various moth species, such as the brown-tail and ghost moths Pelargonium graveolens, commonly called rose geranium, is a species native to South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. It is known for its fragrant leaves, which are distilled to produce geranium oil, highly prized in the perfume industry for aromatherapy and massage therapy. This oil is sometimes used to supplement or adulterate more expensive rose oils. Pelargonium is also used as a flavoring in food, including cakes, jams, jellies, ice creams, sorbets, and teas. In Morocco, it is called Mâatercha or Ätarcha and is often added to spearmint tea, enhancing the flavor with a floral note. Despite both plants being called \"geraniums\" Pelargonium species and Geranium species belong to different genera within the Geraniaceae family.