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musk stork's-bill

Erodium moschatum

The musk stork's-bill is a lovely little plant with soft leaves and pretty flowers. It grows close to the ground and can often be found in gardens and fields.

Habitat: Grasslands

Appearance

The musk stork's-bill has reddish stems and deeply cut, fern-like leaves that often lie flat. Its small, five-petaled flowers are typically pale pink to purplish-pink. The most distinctive feature is its long, slender fruit resembling a stork's bill.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderGeranialesFamilyGeraniaceaeGenusErodium
musk stork's-bill
Photo: Eugene ZelenkoCC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsView original ↗
aromatic trait badgeflowering trait badgespring blooming trait badgefragrant flower trait badge
musk stork's-bill

Category

Plants

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

1

Interesting facts

Its seeds have a tiny 'tail' that drills them right into the soil!

People sometimes eat its young leaves in salads – they're tasty!

The plant's long seed pod looks exactly like a stork's beak!

This hardy plant can even grow between cracks in pavements!

Special abilities

Ability

Seed Flinger

Musk stork's-bill has a clever coiled 'stork's bill' seed pod that twists to flick seeds away, helping it spread far.

Ability

Tough Survivor

Musk stork's-bill can thrive in disturbed soils and challenging environments, allowing it to grow almost anywhere.

Measurements & details

Height
10-50 cm
Flower Size
1-2 cm
Bloom Season
Spring_to_fall
Edible
Yes
Toxicity
None
Lifecycle
Annual
Pollination Method
Insect

Ecological connections

Pollinates

honeybee

Apis mellifera

collects nectar and pollen

Pollinates

buff-tailed bumblebee

Bombus terrestris

visits flowers for nectar

Eaten by

European rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

grazes on its leaves

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Always wash your hands after touching plants, just to be safe!

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify musk stork'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 musk stork's-bill?

10-50 cm

How big are the flowers on musk stork's-bill?

1-2 cm

When does musk stork's-bill bloom?

Spring_to_fall

Is musk stork's-bill edible?

Yes

Is musk stork's-bill toxic?

None

What is musk stork's-bill's lifecycle?

Annual

How is musk stork's-bill pollinated?

Insect

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