Geranium Meaning

Geraniums in general have a wide range of symbolism attached to it. 

It means stupidity or folly during the Victorian times.  But it can also mean courtliness, elegance, gentility and a peaceful mind.  If you expect to meet with a particular person, you should give them a geranium.

To be more specific on the different classes of geraniums, it’s the horseshoe geranium that means stupidity.  The ivy geranium on the other hand indicates favor while the lemon geranium speaks of an unexpected meeting.  Lastly, the oak leaf geranium symbolizes true friendship.

Whatever the message you want to convey, you would have to be careful in picking the color of geraniums as a way of conveying your message – without the risk of any misunderstandings.

• Name:  Geranium
• Color:  Geraniums are available in colors like pink, white, purple and blue.  What makes them special is that the petals have distinctive veining on them.
• Shape:  Geraniums in full bloom are more saucer-shaped.
• Fact:  Simply because they look so much alike, geraniums are usually confused with the pelargonium.  The only way to know the difference would be to look at its petals.  Geraniums have more symmetrical petals while the pelargonium has two sets of petals. In addition, he lower petals look different from the upper petals in the pelargonium.
• Poisonous:  No.  Geraniums are considered safe for humans.
• Number of Petals:  There are five petals to the geranium blossoms.
• Victorian Interpretation:  Based on the Victorian interpretation, geraniums mean stupidity or folly.
• Blossom Time:  The blossom time for geraniums fall under two schools of thought.  It depends on the type of geranium. The perennial geranium starts to bloom during mid-summer and may actually have multiple blooms during the entire growing season while the annual geranium, the flowers bloom in the springtime.

Superstitions: 

Geraniums are known to be social plants in Japan.  But as sociable as they are, they’re not particularly friendly to snakes.  It’s one of the superstitions that if you plant white geraniums in a particular spot, snakes will never go near that area.  Also, if geraniums are planted near a window, it’s said that flies will not come into your home.

• The Shape:  When geraniums are in full bloom, they look pretty much like delicate saucers.  With all the petals having a symmetrical shape, geraniums open up flat and level.
• Petals:  You can tell so much from a flower by its petals.  Since geranium has quite a few close cousins, you can make a distinction from other species simply by looking at the petals of its blossom – it should be symmetrical. 
• Numerology:  Geraniums in numerology have the number 7.  This is symbolized by the planet, Neptune.  It pertains to qualities of being studious and having an analytical mind.
• Color:  Geraniums can be white, blue, purple or pink.  The meaning that’s attached to these flowers doesn’t really follow the color of the blossom - but actually the species of geranium.  In general, geraniums mean stupidity or folly and it doesn’t matter if it’s blue or white.

Herbalism and Medicine:  

As a nonpoisonous plant, geraniums have a huge potential of being a medicinal plant.  It can be use in tea - as an oil infusion or as a compress. But the tea form of the geranium comes from its leaves and not from its petals. Two teaspoons worth of dried leaves is enough to make tea.  If you want to make a compress, you would have to boil some dried geraniums.  Soak the cotton cloth in the infusion and use it as a compress.

Geraniums are widely known to relieve pain as well as cures wounds and other skin problems.