Family Geraniaceae
The order Geraniaceae is divided into five tribes, one of which is called Geraniae, which in turn also has five genera, two of which are Geranium and Pelargonium. It is at this point that the reader can become confused by virtue of the fact that gardeners still continue to refer to pelargoniums as geraniums despite botanists changing the name of the genus well over a hundred years ago. We therefore have two very different types of plants both being referred to by the same name, which can obviously create confusion. The true geranium is a herbaceous hardy plant widespread throughout the world, in temperate regions and on mountains in the tropics, a considerable number being native to Great Britain, Europe and North America. On the other hand the pelargonium erroneously, but by common usage, called geranium, is a half-hardy plant found in temperate or subtropical regions of the world.
