Pelargonium graveolens 'Attar of Roses' (Attar of Roses geranium) care

Light

Aim for at least 4-6 hours of direct sun on the leaves. Wants at least 5-6 hours of direct sun. Indoors give the brightest south- or west-facing windowsill; legginess and weak scent signal too little light. If your only bright window faces south, that's perfect for pelargonium graveolens 'attar of roses' — same window any aroid would fry on.

Watering

Watering pelargonium graveolens 'attar of roses': when the top 3-4 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7-10 days. The number that matters isn't the day of the week — it's how dry the top 2-3 cm of the pot feels. A finger in the soil tells you more than a watering app. After every watering, tip the saucer. Water deeply then let the pot approach dryness before the next drink. It tolerates short drought far better than soggy roots; cut watering back sharply in winter.

Soil and pot

Pelargonium graveolens 'Attar of Roses' grows best in free-draining loam or potting mix with added grit or perlite. Use a peat-free multipurpose compost cut roughly one-quarter with grit, perlite or coarse sand. Neutral to slightly alkaline pH suits it; never let it sit in a saucer of water. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Pelargonium graveolens 'Attar of Roses' sits happiest at around 30-50% humidity and 10-24°C (50-75°F). Prefers average to dry air and good airflow. High humidity with stagnant air invites grey mould and rust, so avoid misting and crowded placement. If you keep the room above 10 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed pelargonium graveolens 'attar of roses' sparingly. Feed every 2-4 weeks through spring and summer with a balanced or slightly high-potash liquid feed; a tomato-type feed encourages flowering. Stop feeding in autumn and winter. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on pelargonium graveolens 'attar of roses' in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Leggy, sparse growth — Too little light or skipped pinching. Move to full sun and pinch shoot tips regularly to force branching.
• Yellowing lower leaves — Usually overwatering or waterlogged compost. Let the mix dry further between waterings and check drainage.
• Rust (orange leaf pustules) — Pelargonium rust thrives in damp, still air. Remove affected leaves, improve airflow and avoid wetting foliage.
• Weak or faded scent — Insufficient sun and overfeeding with nitrogen dilute the aromatic oils; give more direct light and a leaner, higher-potash feed.

Propagation

Easy from 8-10 cm softwood or semi-ripe stem cuttings in spring or late summer; let the cut end callus for a few hours, insert into gritty compost, and keep barely moist and warm until rooted in 3-4 weeks. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Pelargonium graveolens 'Attar of Roses' is toxic to pets. The ASPCA lists Geranium / Scented Geranium (Pelargonium spp.) as toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Toxic principles are geraniol and linalool; signs include vomiting, anorexia, depression and dermatitis, with cats most sensitive. Keep this plant away from pets. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Pelargonium graveolens 'Attar of Roses' deep-dive guides

Every aspect of pelargonium graveolens 'attar of roses' care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Pelargonium graveolens 'Attar of Roses' watering schedule
• Pelargonium graveolens 'Attar of Roses' light requirements
• Best soil mix for pelargonium graveolens 'attar of roses'
• Pelargonium graveolens 'Attar of Roses' fertilizing guide
• When to repot pelargonium graveolens 'attar of roses'
• How to propagate pelargonium graveolens 'attar of roses'
• Pelargonium graveolens 'Attar of Roses' growth rate & size
• Pelargonium graveolens 'Attar of Roses' cold hardiness
• Pelargonium graveolens 'Attar of Roses' temperature & humidity
• Is pelargonium graveolens 'attar of roses' toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is pelargonium graveolens 'attar of roses' toxic to cats?
• Is pelargonium graveolens 'attar of roses' toxic to dogs?

Featured in these plant shortlists

Pelargonium graveolens 'Attar of Roses' qualifies for 1 curated Growli shortlist — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best fragrant houseplants — Indoor plants with scented flowers or aromatic foliage — greenery you can smell, selected from our care library.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

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Pelargonium graveolens 'Attar of Roses' is also commonly called Attar of Roses geranium or Rose-scented pelargonium Attar of Roses.

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