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Do people know this plant?

ZeroZero1ZeroZero1 Posts: 577
in Plants
I knew this plant as an Eau de Cologne plant, but it's not like the ones on google images. It is like a geranium in form, it's a houseplant and used to be common. Touch the leaves and you get an Eau de Cologne type scent  - very powerful. There was a lemon scented one as well. 
I never see it in garden centres anymore, nor another old favourite of mine - Begonia rex angels wings. Both were once common

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Is it one of the scented pelargoniums?



  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    You must be unlucky. I saw Begonia Angel Wings sold in Sainsbury's two weeks ago.

    There was a thread on here not that long ago about 'naff' plants, and Begonias seemed to be high on the list. I guess, garden centres need to respond to consumers too. It seems, these plants are not liked. 
  • ZeroZero1ZeroZero1 Posts: 577
    Fidgetbones - that looks very close, though I don't remember pink flowers. The leaves. as i recall are greyish green blue, and are a little more perforated but essentially the same. I think your on to something with geraniums as the habit was slightly woody and sprawling as geraniums are. Sometimes with a shake, the one plant can fill a room with scent.
  • ZeroZero1ZeroZero1 Posts: 577
    Borderline not my sainsburies alas
  • ZeroZero1ZeroZero1 Posts: 577
    found this, still not sure

    http://thegardeningguru.weebly.com/uploads/8/3/4/7/8347547/scented_geraniums.pdf
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited August 2018
    Sounds like a scented leaved pelargonium.   There are various different scented ones, Eau de cologne, Lemon, Rose and others, as you say with slightly woody stems and very textured leaves. I had several when I had more indoor space, if I remember correctly @Hostafan1 has some. They used to be very popular plants in shaded Victorian style conservatories etc. I used to use a rose or lemon scented leaf to put in a cake tin before putting a sponge cake mixture in and baking and it would perfume the cake beautifully. 

    They are available from Norfolk Herb,Woottens Plants and Sarah Raven to name just a few. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    I love these I have them in a window box but never tried them in cake, did you use a whole leaf Dove or cut it up? 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Just a whole leaf flat in the bottom of the tin ... peel it off when the cake is cooked ... a lovely perfumed Victoria sandwich  :)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    You can infuse cream with the lemony and other scented ones and then make a lovely ice-cream in the usual way.  Lovely with fresh fruit such as redcurrants, raspberries, strawberries and so on.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • ZeroZero1ZeroZero1 Posts: 577
    nice!
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