# Bloody Crane's-bill (*Geranium sanguineum*) The Bloody Crane's-bill is a pretty flower with bright pink petals. It grows in gardens and fields, bringing color to the landscape. Its unique name comes from the shape of its leaves and flowers. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Gardens and fields ![Bloody Crane's-bill](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/%28MHNT%29_Geranium_sanguineum_-_Flower_and_leaf_-_Les_Martels%252C_Giroussens_Tarn.jpg&width=800) Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%28MHNT%29_Geranium_sanguineum_-_Flower_and_leaf_-_Les_Martels%252C_Giroussens_Tarn.jpg) ## Appearance The Bloody Crane's-bill has vibrant, deep magenta-purple flowers, often with intricate darker veins. Its deeply cut, palm-shaped leaves turn striking reddish-orange in autumn, making it visually distinct from many other groundcovers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Geraniales - **Family:** Geraniaceae - **Genus:** Geranium ## Interesting facts - Its seed pod is long and thin, looking exactly like a crane's beak! - Its specific name, 'sanguineum', means 'blood-red', for its autumn leaf color! - The plant's vibrant magenta color inspired the first part of its common name! - This tough plant can live for many years, returning bigger and brighter each spring! ## Special abilities - **Endurance Bloomer:** Bloody Crane's-bill can produce flowers continuously for many months, providing a long-lasting food source for pollinators. - **Seed Slinger:** Bloody Crane's-bill has special seed pods that can launch seeds to help it spread and create new plants. - **Soil Survivor:** Bloody Crane's-bill has a robust root system that helps it thrive even in poor or rocky soil conditions. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-50 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 3-4 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed Bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Buzzes flowers, collecting nectar and pollen. - **Pollinates:** [Painted Lady](https://www.snappit.app/explore/painted-lady) (*Vanessa cardui*) — Feeds on nectar from the bright flowers. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Fall Color](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fall-color): Fall color refers to the seasonal change in foliage pigmentation, primarily in deciduous plants, displaying vibrant hues. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Domesticated](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/domesticated): Domesticated refers to species that have been selectively bred and tamed by humans for specific purposes. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch flowers without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Bloody Crane's-bill? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Bloody Crane's-bill? 30-50 cm ### How wide does Bloody Crane's-bill spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Bloody Crane's-bill? 3-4 cm ### When does Bloody Crane's-bill bloom? Late spring to fall ### Is Bloody Crane's-bill edible? No ### Is Bloody Crane's-bill toxic? None ### What is Bloody Crane's-bill's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Shedd Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shedd-aquarium) — Illinois, US · Aquarium - [Shedd Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shedd-aquarium-illinois) — Illinois, US · Zoo - [Ladd Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ladd-arboretum) — Illinois, US · Botanical Garden - [Lowell Commercial Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lowell-commercial-historic-district) — Indiana, US · Historic District - [Normal School Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/normal-school-historic-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District [View all places to see Bloody Crane's-bill](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/bloody-cranes-bill) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Bloody Crane's-bill: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bloody-cranes-bill)