# geraniums and cranesbills (*Geranium*) Geraniums are colorful flowers that bloom in many shades like pink, purple, and white. They are often found in gardens and can attract butterflies and bees, making them a fun flower to see! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Gardens - **Also known as:** Cranesbills ![geraniums and cranesbills](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Geranium_February_2008-1.jpg&width=800) Photo: Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Geranium_February_2008-1.jpg) ## Appearance The geraniums and cranesbills has five-petaled flowers, often in shades of pink, purple, white, or red, sometimes with darker veins or centers. Its leaves are typically lobed or palmate, creating a lush, bushy appearance. The distinctive, beak-like seed pod helps differentiate it from other garden flowers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Geraniales - **Family:** Geraniaceae - **Genus:** Geranium ## Interesting facts - Parts of certain geraniums were once used to make a dye that changed color with the light! - Some cranesbill species can bloom for many months, providing color from spring until late autumn! - The name "cranesbill" comes from their seed pods, which look exactly like a crane's beak! - Wild geraniums are often called 'Woodland Geraniums' and thrive in shady forest spots! ## Special abilities - **Seed Flinger:** Geraniums and cranesbills can fling their seeds far away when their unique seed pods burst, helping them spread to new places. - **Nectar Guides:** Geraniums and cranesbills have visible lines on their petals, called nectar guides, that direct insects to their sweet nectar for pollination. - **Scented Leaves:** Some geraniums and cranesbills have fragrant leaves that release strong scents when touched, deterring hungry animals from eating them. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-100 cm - **Spread:** 15-120 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Visits flowers for nectar - **Eats:** Cranesbill Tortrix Moth (*Cochylidia implicitana*) — Larvae feed on leaves ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [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. - [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 wash your hands after touching flowers and ask an adult if you're not sure about a plant. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify geraniums and cranesbills? 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 geraniums and cranesbills? 10-100 cm ### How wide does geraniums and cranesbills spread? 15-120 cm ### How big are the flowers on geraniums and cranesbills? 1-5 cm ### When does geraniums and cranesbills bloom? Spring to fall ### Is geraniums and cranesbills edible? No ### Is geraniums and cranesbills toxic? None ### What is geraniums and cranesbills's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Mount Vernon Square](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mount-vernon-square) — District of Columbia, US · Park - [Potomac Hills Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/potomac-hills-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [The Garden of Morning Calm](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/the-garden-of-morning-calm) — KR · Park [View all places to see geraniums and cranesbills](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/geraniums-and-cranesbills) ## 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: [Geraniums And Cranesbills: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/geraniums-and-cranesbills)