Pelargonium is a genus of flowering plants which includes about 200 species of perennials, succulents, and shrubs, commonly known as geraniums or storksbills. Confusingly, Geranium is the correct botanical name of a separate genus of related plants often called Cranesbills. Both genera are in the Family Geraniaceae. They are drought and heat tolerant, but can tolerate only minor frosts. Some species are extremely popular garden plants, grown as bedding plants in temperate regions.

Pelargonium radens commonly known as Rasp-Leaved Pelargonium or Peppermint-Leaved Pelargonium is a South African endemic species from the Eastern Cape and Western Cape Provinces. It is synonymously known as Pelargonium radula. This showy, scented Pelargonium will bring delight to any fragrant garden. Pelargonium radens is an erect, closely branched shrub which is usually less than 1.5 m high. The younger braches remain herbaceous and slender but become woody at the base with age. These branches are also covered with stiff bristles which make them rough to the touch. The extremely divided leaves are triangular in shape and are 30-50 x 30-60 mm. The leaves have a pungent odour when they are bruised. The flowers are pale purple to pink with deep purple markings on the upper two flower petals. The plant flowers from August to January. The seeds are set immediately after it’s flowering period. Pelargonium radens is one of the parent plants which hybridizes with P. capitatum to form the rose-scented pelargonium hybrid. This hybrid is one of several species that are used for essential oils. The cultivar, Rose, was thought to be derived from P. graveolens but it was later discovered that it originated from the hybrid between P. capitatum and P. radens. The components which give the characteristic rose scent to geranium oil (citronellol, geranoil, linalool and nerol) occur best in trace quantities in P. radens and P. graveolens.