Pelargonium citronellum J.j.a.van Der Walt

Erect, much-branched, strongly lemon-scented shrub, up to
 high and 1 m in diameter. Stems herbaceous when young but soon becoming woody, hirsute and with numerous glandular hairs green but becoming brownish with age. Leaves sparsely hirsute to hispid and with numerous glandular hairs interspersed, green; lamina palmatifid to palmatisect with segments sometimes irregularly incised conspicuously veined abaxially, base cuneate to cordate apices of lobes acute margins irregularly serrate-dentate, (35-)50(-110) x (25-)55(-130) mm; petiole (15-)35(-60) mm long; stipules narrowly triangular to triangular, 6-10 x 3-6 mm. Inflorescence: flowering branches profusely branched, with normal and smaller foliar leaves; peduncles 20-50 mm long, hirsute and with glandular hairs; involucral bracts narrowly ovate to ovate, apiculate, indumentum as on peduncles, 6-8 x 3-4 mm; pseudo-umbels with 5-6(-8) flowers each. Pedicel 5-15 mm long, indumentum as on peduncles. Hypanthium 3-8 mm long. Sepals lanceolate, indumentum abaxially as on peduncles, green with a reddish-brown tint, ±10 x 2-4 mm. Petals pinkish-purple; posterior two spathulate to obovate, apices obtuse to emarginate, with dark purple markings, reflexed at ±90°, ±20 x 8 mm; anterior three spathulate with narrow claws, reflexed at less than 90°, ±20 x 4 mm.

It is a subtropical plant.

The fresh leaves are used in cooking to give a lemon flavour. They are used in desserts, punch and vinegar. The leaves are also used to make tea.