Pelargonium zonale
Horseshoe geranium, Horseshoe Geranium
(c) zebedeugalinha, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Geraniaceae · Type: Subshrub · Not Native
Pelargonium zonale (Horseshoe geranium) is a non-native California subshrub in the Geraniaceae family, recognized by dark horseshoe-shaped leaf band and membranous leaves.
Horseshoe geranium is a naturalized shrub found in coastal California regions including the Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, and Southern California, typically occurring in disturbed sites at elevations below 300 meters. Flowering throughout the entire year, this plant produces pink-purple flowers in clusters of 5 to 70 blooms with petals less than 20 millimeters long. Growing with spreading or erect stems over one meter tall and soft-woody branches, it develops a distinctive appearance. Its leaves are round to heart-shaped, typically 5 to 8 centimeters wide, with a notable dark horseshoe-shaped band on the leaf surface and 3 to 5 irregularly toothed lobes. The plant's unique leaf marking and year-round flowering make it a recognizable non-native species in California's disturbed landscapes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 7 sympatric species; key feature is dark horseshoe-shaped leaf band and membranous leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed sites
Elevation: < 300 m
Outside California: native to southern Africa
Bloom period
Pelargonium zonale blooms All year.
How to tell it apart
vs Geranium: Pelargonium is a shrub with asymmetrical flowers; Geranium is herbaceous with symmetrical flowers.; vs Malva: Pelargonium has asymmetrical flowers with 1-7 stamens; Malva has symmetrical flowers with many stamens fused in a column.; vs Impatiens: Pelargonium has no backward spur on flowers; Impatiens has a prominent curved spur.; vs Kalanchoe: Pelargonium has lobed leaves and spirally-coiled fruit beaks; Kalanchoe has succulent leaves and upright capsules.; vs Oxalis: Pelargonium has lobed leaves and asymmetrical flowers; Oxalis has clover-like compound leaves with symmetrical flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pelargonium zonale native to California?
No. Pelargonium zonale is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Pelargonium zonale bloom?
Pelargonium zonale blooms All year.
What plant family does Pelargonium zonale belong to?
Pelargonium zonale is in the Geraniaceae family, genus Pelargonium.
What habitat does Pelargonium zonale grow in?
Pelargonium zonale grows in Disturbed sites.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Pelargonium capitatum — Rose scented geranium
- Pelargonium grossularioides — Gooseberry geranium
- Pelargonium ×hortorum — Fish geranium
- Pelargonium inquinans — Scarlet geranium
- Pelargonium panduriforme — Oak-leaved geranium
- Pelargonium peltatum — Ivy geranium
- California macrophylla — Round-leaved filaree
- California sp. — California filaree
- Erodium botrys — Big heron bill
- Erodium brachycarpum — Foothill filaree
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.