A new world of geraniums is to be found in the dwarf and miniature varieties. The classification of miniatures has not yet been approved.
Still, at a recent meeting of the Board of Directors of the International Geranium and Pelargonium Society, they decided on a temporary classification of miniatures not to exceed 6” to 8” inches in height.
Dwarf geraniums range from 8” to 15” inches tall. Both miniatures and dwarfs occur as sports in all groups of geraniums, and recently extensive hybridizing has been done with existing varieties.
It is probable that some of the varieties formerly classified as dwarfs will fall into this new miniature class and that wide varieties now in the trade remain to be correctly classified.
Progress In Hybridization Of Dwarf and Miniature Varieties
Holmes Miller of Los Altos, California, has greatly progressed in hybridizing these two classes.
For years, geranium hybridizers have been dreaming of when to hit upon the right combination of pollen and parentage to secure something new.
Mr. Miller’s records show that as early as 1936, he was using the pollen of the then 50-year-old BLACK VESUVIUS to cross upon many plants. Unfortunately, fate and war intervened, and it was not until several years later that he had his first successes.
These have been followed year after year with other startling introductions. His FAIRYLAND, ELF, and SPRITE were well worth all his efforts.
Fairyland
FAIRYLAND is listed by Mr. Miller as a silver tricolor with grayish-green leaves bordered in pale ivory and beautifully zoned with irregular splashes of rose-red.
I would describe it as an ideal plant with wonderfully colored leaves. It has been in our lath houses ever since it was first introduced, and in all these years, it has stayed well within the proposed miniature class.
A few years ago, I had the privilege of seeing some of these plants in Mr. Miller’s greenhouse, and they looked at that time as if a few pinches of nitrogen might coax them to grow at least up to the borderline of 8″ inches.
Sprite
SPRITE is described by MT. Miller is a silver-leaf type having small, dark grayish-green leaves with a wide ivory-white border.
Its ultimate growth is around 8″ to 10″ inches, although a plant in my collection has never reached that height and perhaps needs that judicious pinch of nitrogen.
It has a single salmon-colored umbel of flowers, whereas FAIRYLAND’S flowers are light scarlet.
Elf
The companion piece to the above two varieties is ELF, a golden tricolor with dark-green leaves bordered with yellow and zoned with irregular splashes of scarlet. The flowers are a single scarlet.
All three of these varieties—fancy-leaved miniatures or dwarfs, whichever you care to call them—are so unusual in leaf coloring that one would hardly care if they did not bloom.
Ruffles
Other introductions of Mr. Miller include:
- IMP, a dark-leaved, salmon-flowering variety that will stay for years in a very small pot and is excellent for winter window gardens;
- PERKY, a very small dwarf with dark-green leaves and red flowers with white centers;
- PIXIE, a compact-growing dwarf (in our lath houses, it grows only about 12 inches tall), with almost purple-green leaves and light salmon-pink flowers;
- RED SPIDER, one of the larger dwarfs, is noted for its narrow rolled petals of scarlet, which give it the appearance of the poinsettia type;
- TWINKLE, a coral-rose double that holds its flower clusters close to the interesting foliage.
Among recent introductions of Mr. Miller are the following:
- MINX, a double-flowering dwarf in a red and purple-crimson blend;
- SPARKLE, a semi-dwarf with geranium-red flowers;
- NUGGET, another golden-leaved tricolor similar to ELF with inconspicuous shrimp-colored flowers.
Perpetuated In Trade
Miller’s efforts were preceded by those of the now-deceased Ernest Roper, who worked with dwarfs for many years and produced about a dozen well-known plants that have been perpetuated in the trade.
Many of the names were taken from Walt Disney characters. Varieties include:
- SNEEZY, a red flower with white eyes
- FAIRY PRINCESS, a pale salmon with darker eyes
- DOPEY, pink with white eyes
- FAIRY TALES, white with a pink center.
Dorcas Brigham of the Village Hill Nursery at Williamsburg, Massachusetts, secured her original stock from Mr. Roger before his death. Sunset Gardens, which is located in Rolling Hills, California, but whose mailing address is Lomita, is propagating dwarf stock from the seed of Roper’s dwarfs, and some of their varieties should be available soon.
Strain Of Dwarfs
Another strain of dwarfs, released in recent years under the trade name of Carleton dwarfs, is the work of Milton Arndt, Hightstown, New Jersey. At least 22 of these varieties are listed in the catalog of Merry Gardens, Camden. Maine.
At present, I have about a dozen of these under observation. The foliage is in varying shades of dark green, and most of the leaves are not quite as small as one expects in dwarfs.
A selection of colors can be had in both single and double flowers, and some of the color combinations are interesting, especially in ALDEBARAN and SALMON COMET. In addition to color, SALMON COMET has beautiful zone markings in its leaves, as does BROOKS BARNES.
Many of Milton Arndt’s introductions have red flowers—some so full of petals that they look like red balls.
Fine New Dwarfs
Mr. David Case of Santa Barbara, now deceased, introduced several fine new dwarfs this past year.
All four introductions are now being prepared for the commercial trade by Southern California Geranium Gardens of Gardena.
They are:
- FLEURETTE, whose curled petaled salmon-rose flowers are a real novelty;
- SNOW BABY, a clear double white;
- FIREFLY, a cheerful red
- TRINKET, a good pink
I had the privilege of seeing large numbers of these four dwarfs in Mr. Case’s greenhouse, and at times, there were so many flowers that the attractive foliage was practically hidden.
After watching these for several months, the conclusion could easily be reached that they are in the dwarf classification and almost miniature.
Paul Jackson of Santa Paula, California, was the first president and main founder of The International Geranium and Pelargonium Society.
He has done considerable hybridizing with dwarfs and miniatures. His best variety so far is a startling cerise, double-flowered miniature, which I had the privilege of naming for the hybridizer, Paul Jackson. Temples Pelargonium Farm of Fallbrook, California, is propagating it.
Two other geraniums that are often classed with the dwarfs, especially when grown in pots, are EMMA HOSSLER and MR. EVERAATS. Wilson Brothers of Roachdale.
Indiana lists them in its catalog, and Mr. Cully Wilson states that when grown in pots, in their trials. They always have the dwarf habit of growth.
Old Lime Dwarfs
Three old-lime dwarfs could never be left out of any article on dwarfs if one is to do a good job. BLACK VESUVIUS is a slow grower with single orange-scarlet flowers of good size, which are contrasted by unusually dark leaves.
PIGMY is a true miniature with double red flowers and very light-green leaves.
MADAME FOURNIER does not always prove to be a miniature hut that borders the division line if not watered or fertilized too much.
It has dark-green leaves that get purple-green to almost black with darker zones when in full sun.
It is a proven pot plant of excellent qualities and is extremely useful for borders even in the hot sun of Southern California.
44659 by Thomas Hosmer