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Crane's Bill Geranium Geranium maculatum

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
jer-AY-nee-um mak-yuh-LAH-tum
Description

Wild geranium is a woodland perennial flower in the Geraniaceae family that will naturalize in optimum growing conditions. This plant is found naturally in base-rich, mesic forests. The preference is for light shade to partial sunlight, moist to slightly dry conditions, and rich loamy soil with abundant organic matter. This plant also tolerates full sunlight if given sufficient moisture. It is easy to grow in cultivation and is one of the showiest of the native Cranesbills. During the hottest part of summer the foliage may decline and yellow. Shear back to reshape.

Spotted Geranium is a herbaceous perennial that may grow 1 to 2 feet tall with fibrous roots and a shallow taproot. The leaves are opposite and lobed with a toothed margin. Pink or light purple flowers first mature in mid-spring and continue into late spring.

The attractive deeply lobed leaves are topped by saucer-shaped flowers that are pink to lilac in spring. Use in mass as a ground cover, in woodland settings or native and pollinator gardens. This plant is clump-forming. There are cultivars of this plant with white flowers and dark leaves.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems but watch for snails and slugs. Rust and leaf spot may occur. 

 

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • ‘Album’
    White flowers
  • ‘Elizabeth Ann’
    Bronze foliage and blue-lavender flowers
  • ‘Espresso’
    Reddish-brown leaves and pale pink flowers
‘Album’, ‘Elizabeth Ann’, ‘Espresso’
Tags:
#nectar plant#fall interest#rabbit resistant#small mammals#specialized bees#fire low flammability#NC native#deer resistant#children's garden#herbaceous perennial#playground plant#pollinator plant#edible garden#native wildflower#food source summer#food source herbage#food source nectar#food source pollen#bird friendly#nectar plant late spring#dry soils tolerant#food source hard mast fruit#mammals#butterfly friendly#nectar plant early summer#nectar plant midspring#Piedmont Mountains FACU#Coastal FACU#bee friendly#Audubon#wildlife friendly#woodland
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • ‘Album’
    White flowers
  • ‘Elizabeth Ann’
    Bronze foliage and blue-lavender flowers
  • ‘Espresso’
    Reddish-brown leaves and pale pink flowers
‘Album’, ‘Elizabeth Ann’, ‘Espresso’
Tags:
#nectar plant#fall interest#rabbit resistant#small mammals#specialized bees#fire low flammability#NC native#deer resistant#children's garden#herbaceous perennial#playground plant#pollinator plant#edible garden#native wildflower#food source summer#food source herbage#food source nectar#food source pollen#bird friendly#nectar plant late spring#dry soils tolerant#food source hard mast fruit#mammals#butterfly friendly#nectar plant early summer#nectar plant midspring#Piedmont Mountains FACU#Coastal FACU#bee friendly#Audubon#wildlife friendly#woodland
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Geranium
    Species:
    manculatum
    Family:
    Geraniaceae
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    Medicinally used by Native Americans to treat diarrhea and open sores or wounds.
    Life Cycle:
    Annual
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    SE. Canada to Central & Eastern U.S.A
    Distribution:
    USA: AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , ND , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV Canada: MB , NL , NS , ON , QC
    Fire Risk Rating:
    low flammability
    Wildlife Value:
    Nectar from flowers attracts butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Songbirds eat the seeds. Members of the genus Geranium support the following specialized bee: Andrena (Ptilandrena) distans. Tolerates damage by deer and rabbits.
    Play Value:
    Attractive Flowers
    Attracts Pollinators
    Edible fruit
    Wildlife Food Source
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    Deer and rabbit resistant
    Edibility:
    Teas can be made from the plant
    Dimensions:
    Height: 1 ft. 2 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
    Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Ground Cover
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Native Plant
    Wildflower
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Mounding
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Medium
    Texture:
    Coarse
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    High Organic Matter
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Occasionally Wet
    Available Space To Plant:
    Less than 12 inches
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
  • Fruit:
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Fruit Description:
    Beaked seed capsules give rise to the common name of crane's bill. Fruit is available May-July.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Blue
    Pink
    Purple/Lavender
    Red/Burgundy
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Corymb
    Cyme
    Umbel
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Edible
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Saucer
    Star
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Colored Sepals
    Flower Size:
    1-3 inches
    Flower Description:
    2-5 flowers in umbrels or corymbs are 1 1/4 inches wide and are pink to lilac in color with fine veins radiating across the petals that function as nectar guides. They are upward-facing, saucer-shaped blooms from April to June.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Leaf Type:
    Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Opposite
    Leaf Shape:
    Palmatifid
    Leaf Margin:
    Lobed
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    A loose cluster of green basal leaves and a pair of opposite stem leaves near the base are 3-6 inches long and wide and are deeply cut with 5 lobes. The upper stem leaves have 3 lobes and are smaller. The margins have coarse teeth. The upper surface of the leaf has fine hairs while the lower surface has coarse hairs.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Red/Burgundy
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Cross Section:
    Round
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
    Stem Description:
    Round green or reddish stems with hair
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Meadow
    Naturalized Area
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Butterfly Garden
    Children's Garden
    Native Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Mass Planting
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Pollinators
    Small Mammals
    Songbirds
    Specialized Bees
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Dry Soil
    Fire
    Rabbits