# Wild Geranium (*Geranium maculatum L.*)

Wild Geranium is a colorful flower that grows in gardens and fields. Its bright pink or purple petals are like little stars shining in the sun.

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

![Wild Geranium](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771425951/objects/4900.jpg)

## Appearance

The Wild Geranium has soft green leaves with deep lobes, resembling a hand. Its delicate, five-petaled flowers bloom in shades of pink to lavender, often with darker veins, atop fuzzy stems.

## Taxonomy

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

## Interesting facts

- Bumblebees love to visit these flowers, often buzzing loudly as they collect nectar and pollen!
- Its name comes from the Greek word 'geranos' meaning crane, because its seed pods look like a crane's beak!
- Native Americans used the roots to make remedies for various ailments.
- Wild Geranium flowers can change color slightly, getting darker as they age.

## Special abilities

- **Seed Slingers:** Wild Geranium has spring-loaded seed pods that can fling seeds far away, helping it spread to new places.
- **Underground Network:** Wild Geranium can grow underground stems called rhizomes, allowing it to spread and create new plants easily.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-75 cm
- **Spread:** 30-50 cm
- **Flower Size:** 2.5-4 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Main pollinator for nectar and pollen
- **Pollinates:** Western Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen
- **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Deer occasionally browse the leaves

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Flowers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/flowers)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Explore with care and ask an adult if you’re unsure what to do.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Wild Geranium?

Count the petals where you can, then compare the flower's center, its symmetry, how the blooms are grouped and the leaves below. Color varies between garden varieties and shifts with the light. Flower Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Wild Geranium?

30-75 cm

### How wide does Wild Geranium spread?

30-50 cm

### How big are the flowers on Wild Geranium?

2.5-4 cm

### When does Wild Geranium bloom?

Spring to early summer

### Is Wild Geranium edible?

Yes

### Is Wild Geranium toxic?

None

### What is Wild Geranium's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Albany Pine Bush](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/albany-pine-bush) — New York, US · Nature Reserve
- [Anderson Japanese Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/anderson-japanese-gardens) — Illinois, US · Botanical Garden
- [Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arrowmont-school-of-arts-and-crafts) — Tennessee, US · Campus
- [Ashton Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ashton-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District
- [Bartholomew's Cobble](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bartholomews-cobble) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve
- [Belltown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/belltown-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District

[View all places to see Wild Geranium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/wild-geranium)

## 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: [Wild Geranium: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wild-geranium)