Pelargonium 'Black Velvet Scarlet' (Black Velvet Series) (Z/v)

RHS Plant Profile
geranium 'Black Velvet Scarlet'

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geranium 'Black Velvet Scarlet' RHS
Herbaceous Perennial

An upright, bushy zonal pelargonium with dark foliage, leaves have maroon, almost black centres and green margins. Produces clusters of bright red flowers in summer.

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1–2 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H1C

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Geraniaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Pelargonium can be perennials, sub-shrubs or shrubs, sometimes succulent and mostly evergreen, with palmately lobed or pinnately divided leaves and clusters of slightly irregular, 5-petalled flowers
Name Status
Unresolved
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea

Zonal pelargoniums are bushy evergreen perennials with fleshy stems, rounded, palmately lobed leaves often zoned with maroon, and single or double flowers in shades of purple, red, pink, orange and white, from early to late summer

How to Grow

Cultivation

Under glass grow in a potting compost in a light spot, with shade from hot sun and good ventilation. Can be grown outside in frost-free areas, or as an annual or in containers in areas prone to frost. See pelargonium cultivation for more advice

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings in spring, late summer or early autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Hanging Basket
  • Patio and container plants
  • Bedding
  • Conservatory and greenhouse
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Deadhead regularly

Pests

May be susceptible to vine weevils, glasshouse leafhoppers, root mealybugs, aphids, caterpillars, western flower thrips and sciarid flies

Diseases

May be susceptible to grey moulds, black leg and pelargonium rust