Identifying Pelargonium (Geranium) Cultivars for Market Sales

Exact ID Requires DNA—Not Practical for Small Sales

With thousands of cultivars, visual ID from books/photos is unreliable. Commercial nurseries use DNA fingerprinting—costly and unnecessary for farm market sales.

Practical Labeling Strategy

• Group by type: Zonal, Ivy, Regal, Scented, Species.
• Describe key traits: "Rose-scented, pink single flowers," "Variegated leaf, red double blooms."
• Use descriptive names: "Old-fashioned rose geranium," "Trailing ivy geranium 'White Mesh'."
• Note source if known: "From Helen's collection, 1990s."

Customer-Friendly Tags

Include: Type, flower color/form, leaf scent/pattern, growth habit, sun/water needs. This matters more to buyers than cultivar names.

Build Your Own Reference

• Photograph each plant in bloom with label.
• Keep a notebook with descriptions, performance notes.
• Propagate favorites—your "brand" becomes the identifier.