While Geranium species are mostly temperate herbaceous plants, dying down in winter, Pelargonium species are evergreen perennials indigenous to warm temperate and tropical regions of the world, with many species in southern Africa.
They are drought and heat tolerant, but can tolerate only minor frosts. Some species are extremely popular garden plants, grown as houseplants and bedding plants in temperate regions.
They have a long flowering period, with flowers mostly in red, orange, or white; but intensive breeding has produced a huge array of cultivars with great variety in size, flower colour, leaf form and aromatic foliage.