True Rose Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) is a tender perennial prized for its deeply fragrant, rose-scented foliage that releases its perfume with the slightest touch. Hardy in zones 9 through 9, this heirloom cultivar grows to a compact 36 inches tall and 24 inches wide, thriving in full sun with minimal water once established. Its delicate summer-to-fall blooms and drought tolerance make it an elegant addition to warm-climate gardens, containers, or as a houseplant in cooler regions.
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Full Sun
Low
9-9
36in H x 24in W
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High
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The moment you brush the silvery-green, deeply lobed leaves, they release an intoxicating rose fragrance that lingers on your fingertips. This heirloom geranium transforms from a modest-looking plant into a sensory experience, flowering reliably from June through November in zones where winters stay mild. Deer leave it alone entirely, and its low water needs mean it thrives on neglect once its roots are established.
True Rose Geranium lives primarily as an ornamental and aromatic plant. Gardeners grow it for the pleasure of brushing past its perfumed leaves, for its summer-to-fall flower display, and for the sensory richness it brings to patios, containers, and sunny garden corners. The fragrant foliage has long been valued in arrangements and dried in sachets.
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“True Rose Geranium carries the distinction of being an heirloom cultivar, a plant preserved and passed down through generations of gardeners who recognized something irreplaceable in its character. While specific documentation of its development is limited, this variety represents the long tradition of selecting and maintaining scented-leaved pelargoniums, plants that were beloved in Victorian herb gardens and cottage traditions across Europe and America.”