Cranesbill Geranium maculatum
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Cranesbill:
- Phonetic Spelling
- jer-AY-nee-um mak-yuh-LAH-tum
- Description
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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:
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- ‘Album’
White flowers - ‘Elizabeth Ann’
Bronze foliage and blue-lavender flowers - ‘Espresso’
Reddish-brown leaves and pale pink flowers
- ‘Album’
- ‘Album’, ‘Elizabeth Ann’, ‘Espresso’
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- ‘Album’
White flowers - ‘Elizabeth Ann’
Bronze foliage and blue-lavender flowers - ‘Espresso’
Reddish-brown leaves and pale pink flowers
- ‘Album’
- ‘Album’, ‘Elizabeth Ann’, ‘Espresso’
- Tags:
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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):
- fire in the landscape.
- 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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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:
- Dry Soil
- Fire
- Rabbits
