Cranesbill

Geranium maculatum

Cranesbill has pretty purple flowers with a unique shape! It's often found in woodlands and is great for attracting bees.

Habitat: Woodlands and meadows

Appearance

The Cranesbill has distinctive five-petaled flowers, often vibrant pink to purple, with prominent darker veins. Its broad, deeply cut leaves form a bushy clump, creating a lush green backdrop for its striking blooms.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderGeranialesFamilyGeraniaceaeGenusGeranium

Cranesbill

Interesting facts

Its five-petaled flowers often have subtle stripes guiding insects to nectar!

Native Americans used its roots to make a traditional brown dye for fabrics.

Some gardeners use it to prevent weeds because of its dense growth.

This tough plant can live for many years, returning bigger each spring!

Special abilities

Cranesbill can blast its seeds! Its unique seed pods act like tiny catapults, flinging seeds away to find new homes.

Cranesbill has broad leaves that expertly capture dappled light, helping it thrive and grow in shady woodland spots.

Cranesbill has natural astringent properties that Native Americans traditionally used to help soothe minor skin irritations.

Measurements & details

Height: 30-60 cm
Spread: 30-60 cm
Flower Size: 2.5-4 cm
Bloom Season: Spring-summer
Is Edible: No
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

pollinates

Honeybee

Apis mellifera

gathers nectar and pollen

pollinates

Common Eastern Bumblebee

Bombus impatiens

gathers nectar and pollen

eaten by

White-tailed deer

Odocoileus virginianus

occasionally browses its leaves

Traits

Spring Blooming

Celebrate the arrival of warmer weather with these cheerful plants that burst into beautiful flowers as spring awakens the world.

Fall Color

Witness the breathtaking transformation as leaves change from green to brilliant shades of red, orange, and gold before they fall. It's a spectacular natural art show!