# Marsh Crane's-bill (*Geranium palustre*)

Marsh Crane's-bill is a pretty plant with delicate pink flowers that bloom in wetlands. It has soft, green leaves that look like little hands reaching out to the sun.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Wetlands

![Marsh Crane's-bill](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Bloem_van_een_Geranium_palustre._03-07-2021_%28actm.%29.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Agnes Monkelbaan, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bloem_van_een_Geranium_palustre._03-07-2021_%28actm.%29.jpg)

## Appearance

The Marsh Crane's-bill has vibrant magenta-purple flowers, often with darker veins, that bloom atop upright stems. Its green leaves are deeply divided into several narrow, toothed lobes, giving them a lacy appearance. It stands out with its bright blooms in marshy settings.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Geraniales
- **Family:** Geraniaceae
- **Genus:** Geranium

## Interesting facts

- Its seeds burst out like tiny slingshots when ripe!
- Marsh Crane's-bill can attract moths with its bright evening flowers!
- Some gardeners use it to add a splash of color to wet gardens.
- The name 'crane's-bill' comes from its long, beak-like seed pods.

## Special abilities

- **Wet Feet Power:** Marsh Crane's-bill can grow in very wet soils that most plants can't, helping it thrive near water.
- **Spreading Roots:** It has creeping underground stems called rhizomes that help it spread out and colonize new ground.
- **Spring-Loaded Seeds:** Its unique 'crane's-bill' seed capsules can explosively launch seeds far away to find new homes.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-70 cm
- **Spread:** 40-80 cm
- **Flower Size:** 2-4 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen from its flowers.
- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Helps spread pollen while visiting its blooms.
- **Eaten by:** [Black slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — Feeds on its leaves and young shoots.
- **Pollinates:** Small white butterfly (*Pieris rapae*) — Visits flowers for nectar.

## 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.
- [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.
- [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they are safe.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Marsh 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 Marsh Crane's-bill?

30-70 cm

### How wide does Marsh Crane's-bill spread?

40-80 cm

### How big are the flowers on Marsh Crane's-bill?

2-4 cm

### When does Marsh Crane's-bill bloom?

Summer

### Is Marsh Crane's-bill edible?

No

### Is Marsh Crane's-bill toxic?

None

### What is Marsh Crane's-bill's lifecycle?

Perennial

## 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*)

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Source: [Marsh Crane's-bill: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/marsh-cranes-bill)