Pelargonium cucullatum (L) L'Hér.
hooded-leaf pelargonium, herba althaea · wildemalva (Afr.)
Tall, tough coastal pelargonium with masses of pink-purple flowers; an ancestor of many garden hybrids.
What’s in the name: Pelargonium: from the Greek for "stork", after the long beaked fruit; cucullatum: "hooded", for the cupped leaves.
“For every tree is known by his own fruit.”
— Luke 6:44 (KJV), The King James Version of the Bible (Project Gutenberg)
Available from AVNPlants: see the availability list.
Family
Geraniaceae
Conservation status
Least Concern, SANBI Red List of South African Plants
Natural distribution & habitat
Cape coast between Saldanha and Baardskeerdersbos, on sandy or granite slopes.
Size & form
Sprawling, branched shrub over 2 m with a woody base and rounded, cupped leaves (cucullatum means "hooded").
Flowering
A flush of a month or two at some point between September and February.
Uses in landscaping
- Coastal gardens
- Informal borders, rockeries and sunny patio containers
Care notes
Full sun; little care once established and fairly drought resistant. Grow from summer or autumn stem cuttings in coarse sand (do not overwater) or from seed.
Wildlife value
Visited by sunbirds, butterflies, long-tongued flies and moths.
Find out more
Facts checked against: SANBI PlantZAfrica species page 'Pelargonium cucullatum'; SANBI Red List of South African Plants, Pelargonium cucullatum (L.) L'Hér. subsp. cucullatum (assessment 2005/06/30).