Flowers › Geranium
❀ Foliage · Summer to Fall
Michigan Geraniums
Scented geranium is the foliage you smell before you see. Brush a leaf and it releases rose, lemon, or mint, and that soft, ruffled greenery weaves fragrance and texture through a bouquet like nothing else.
Seasonal Availability
About Geraniums
The geranium our farmers cut is scented geranium, grown for its aromatic, sculptural leaves rather than its small flowers. The foliage ranges from finely lobed and lacy to broad and velvety, in fresh green, gray-green, and variegated cream, and a single brushed leaf can release rose, lemon, peppermint, or nutmeg. It is filler that you smell before you see, weaving fragrance and soft, gently trailing texture through a bouquet in a way no other greenery does.
Despite the shared common name, the cut-flower geranium is a Pelargonium, a South African genus grown as a warm-season annual in Michigan rather than a hardy native. Michigan does have a true native cousin, wild geranium (Geranium maculatum), a spring woodland wildflower found across the state, but that is a different plant from the fragrant Pelargonium foliage our members grow for cutting.
Aromatic foliage is at its best when it is grown close by and cut fresh, before the leaves tire and lose their scent. Our member farmers pick scented geranium at its most fragrant and supple, so collective-grown stems arrive as living perfume and pliable, trailing greenery. Reserve a DIY bucket for your own arranging, add it to a mixed bucket, or ask our floral designers to work it into your bridal and event flowers.
Geraniums From Our Farmers
Geranium at a Glance
In season (MI)
July through September
Colors
Fresh green, gray-green, variegated cream and green
Stem length
8 to 18 inches
Best for
Fragrant filler and greenery, bridal work, trailing accents, bud vases
How to buy
Requested in a DIY bucket, or custom design
Forms & Varieties
Scented geraniums are grouped by fragrance and leaf shape, and each brings a different character to a design.
Rose-scented
Deeply lobed gray-green leaves with a classic rose perfume, the most popular choice for bouquets and bridal work.
Lemon-scented
Small, crinkled bright-green leaves with a sharp, clean citrus scent.
Peppermint
Large, soft, velvety leaves and a cool mint fragrance, lovely for trailing over the edge of an arrangement.
Oakleaf
Boldly cut, oak-shaped leaves with a spicy scent and sturdy texture that holds up well in mixed designs.
Care & Vase Life
- Expect 5 to 10 days; recut stems on an angle and give them a good drink before arranging.
- Choose firm, mature stems, as very soft new growth wilts quickly out of water.
- Strip leaves below the waterline and keep the water clean with flower food.
- Keep out of direct sun and heat to hold the leaf color and fragrance.
- Trailing varieties look best draped over the edge of a compote or bud vase.
When We Have Geraniums
Scented geranium foliage is a warm-season crop, cut from July into September once the plants have grown lush in the summer heat. It puts on the most abundant, fragrant growth during the long warm days of high summer and stays productive until the first frost, which quickly ends tender geranium foliage. Every stem is grown by our member farmers here in Michigan and cut fresh for pickup at the barn.
Availability shifts week to week with the Michigan season, so colors and varieties vary. Reserve ahead for events, and check the shop for what our farmers have cut this week.
How to Get Geraniums
Request geraniums in a DIY bucket
Reserve a DIY bucket and request geraniums to arrange yourself, perfect for weddings, events, or filling your home. Order ahead and pick up at the barn.
Reserve a DIY bucketBuy geraniums in the shop
When geraniums are in season, you can buy them straight from our online shop. It’s especially good value if you’re a wholesale buyer member.
Visit the shopLet us design it for you
Prefer it done for you? Our floral designers create custom, geranium-forward arrangements and full wedding and event work. Pickup is at the barn; buyer members can also arrange local delivery.
Request floral designGeranium FAQs
Is this the same as the geranium in flower pots?
It is a close relative. We grow scented geranium, a Pelargonium cut for its fragrant, decorative foliage, rather than the bedding geraniums grown mainly for their bright flower clusters.
Do scented geranium leaves really smell?
Yes. Brushing or lightly crushing the leaves releases scents such as rose, lemon, mint, or spice, depending on the variety, which adds a fragrant dimension to any arrangement.
How long does cut scented geranium last?
Firm, mature stems usually hold 5 to 10 days in the vase. Softer new growth wilts sooner, so choosing sturdier stems and keeping the water clean makes a real difference.
Is scented geranium good as wedding greenery?
It is lovely for it. The soft, ruffled, gently trailing leaves add texture and fragrance to bridal bouquets and centerpieces, and pair especially well with garden roses.
Pairs Well With
Garden RoseFlower · June through September
Sweet PeaFlower · June to July
LisianthusFlower · July through September
ScabiosaFlower · June through October
CosmosFlower · July through October
DahliaFlower · August through OctoberGeraniums Available to Buy Now
See all geraniums in the shop →
Ready to plan with geraniums?
Reserve geraniums for your event or ask our designers to build something around them, grown by our Michigan farmer collective.