What are the Uses and Benefits of Pelargonium sidoides? Introduction Pelargonium sidoides is a traditional medicinal plant native to South Africa. It is used for the treatment of acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) like cold and flu. Its common names are African geranium and South African geranium. Scientific Classification Kingdom: Plantae Clade: Angiosperms Clade: Eudicots Clade: Rosids Order: Geraniales Family: Geraniaceae Genus: Pelargonium Species: P. sidoides Binomial Name: Pelargonium sidoides Distribution Pelargonium sidoides widely distributed throughout the Eastern Cape, Lesotho,