Plant in full sun in well-drained soils and irrigate regularly to occasionally spring through summer - is surprisingly water thrifty considering its origins in a summer rainfall area. It is hardy and evergreen to 25 F and can take colder temperatures but will be dormant - keep drier in winter if possible. This is an excellent container plant and has done exceptionally well in our garden plantings.

Pelargonium sidoides comes from summer rainfall grasslands in the eastern Cape, Free State and Gauteng in the Republic of South Africa and the independent county of Lesotho. The name for the genus comes from Johannes Burman (1707-1780, a Dutch physician and botanist whom Linnaeus worked for in his youth. Burman first used the name to describe some South African Geraniums in 1738. The name was derived from the Greek word 'pelargós' meaning "stork" because the seed head looks like that of a stork's beak. The specific epithet comes from this plant's foliage having a resemblance to that of Sida rhombifolia, a European plant in the malva family (Malvaceae) whose name was taken from an ancient Greek word for "water lily". In its native South Africa this plant is considered to have is a medicinal properties and is commonly called African Geranium. Its root extracts used to treat cold and flu but evidence to support its use for these purposes is described as low to very low.

We have grown this charming plant since 2001 and got our original stock from Native Sons Nursery in Arroyo Grande. We also grow a selection that has lighter magenta-pink colored flowers that is called Pelargonium sidoides 'Gloriana'. According to noted Pelargonium breeder Jay Kapac, all of the various Pelargonium sidoides in the California nursery trade are hybrids between the true Pelargonium sidoides and Pelargonium reniforme and this particular cultivar should be called Pelargonium 'Burgundy'. True Pelargonium sidoides has smaller fragrant flowers and is truly a basal perennial that does not produce any stems. Because it would cause undo confusion to drop the name Pelargonium sidoides from our listing we continue to list the plant we grow as a cultivar of this species and but recognize that technically this is incorrect. 

The information about Pelargonium x sidoides 'Burgundy' displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant.