Plant in full sun in well-drained soils. It is hardy and evergreen to 25 F and can take colder temperatures but will be dormant. This is a selection of the typically burgundy-flowering species, which has proved itself as a great plant in southern California gardens.

We have grown this nice plant since 2006 after receiving it from the late Mark Bartholomew at Hi-Mark Nursery. He was given the plant by Gloria Norland of Sperling Nursery in Calabasas, who found it in her own garden and Mark named it for her. 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". 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. True Pelargonium sidoides has smaller fragrant flowers and is truly a basal perennial and 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 sidoides 'Gloriana' 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.