Pelargonium

My mom used to love pelargoniums and she always called them geraniums! she would dig up the ones she'd planted outdoors for the summer and toss the stems into the darkest corner of the basement rootcellar. Dad used to complain about the dried up sticks... but come March they'd be sprouting leaves and Mom would clean them and put them in water to root up for planting outdoors! That's a strange memory! ...an uncomplicated routine that paid off with great flowers... her special favourites were the salmon pink ones. That lipstick pink is pretty, too, and the patriotic bright red we see everywhere on Canada Day. it's pretty much an annual garden staple in our cold climate.

My dried sticks come back every year as well. They make excellent patio plants and seem to actually prefer a pot over the ground. If I keep deadheading, it will be in flower all summer.

yes, definitely a niche plant.