This geranium loves moist, humusy soils, and it will naturalize in these conditions although they say it will not be aggressive. If it blooms and isn’t a thug then it’s welcome to stay! This native plant is rarely found in disturbed areas. Which geranium is your native with the smelly foliage? And how lucky to have geranium phaeum as a native as well. . Geraniums as a whole are great plants though and I can’t imagine my garden without them. Deer have been known to eat the flowers, seed pods and occasionally the foliage although I have not seen this in. Geranium maculatum was also known as wild geranium, cranesbill geranium and alum root. Geranium Robertianum is thought to have been named for the 11thC French saint, Abbot … It can be used as a douche or gargle to this affect if called for. Oh Cathy how special to have these uncommon native geraniums! So I decided to plant several in hopes of creating stands of native geraniums, and I was not disappointed this May. Wild geranium grows well under a variety of conditions in my garden from average to well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Very nice concept — living from happiness . C… If you choose the right spot, your geraniums will grow and spread with little attention from you. It was regarded as a symbol of fertility in ancient Egypt, and was used for wreaths which decorated the brow of the Goddess Isis. 90 of over 1200 images. Wild Geranium blossoms (Geranium maculatum) added dashes of lavender along the shady lane – some still in perfect form, others having served as a meal for the larvae of some hungry … And they tolerate browsing by rabbits and deer. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. They are a beautiful sight in spring and will love your garden in MA. It is a welcome sight in Spring. Right now I have a welcome message to greet you, and you can sign up for a subscription through WordPress, email, Bloglovin or Feedly. They can be found growing wild all over the Northeastern United States and many cultivars are sold in nurseries. If you like anything at all - I would really appreciate … I’m sorry but I don’t agree with Christina and Janet, they have both no doubt forgot that the beautiful wild meadow cranesbill, geranium pratense, is native, it has a beautiful blue upward facing flower can grow up to 30″ (75cm) and in my damp meadow they flower for a couple of months in late spring/early summer, from the kitchen window I see a lovely blue haze, which I would like to increase, In Greek, the word geranium actually means crane. The owner, Ellen Folts, specializes in woodland, prairie and wetland native perennials. The whole. It will also tolerate poor soils like my clay. Flowers bloom for a very long period, but this plant does not re-bloom. This lovely flower attracts butterflies, and the seeds attract mourning doves, quail, and deer. In Japan, it is the symbol of paradise. In my garden the wild geranium planted in fall flowered this year, their first year. It is also antiseptic and may be applied externally for issues involving pus, discharge and inflammations. I have a cultivar of Geranium macrorrhizum and they say it is used in aromatherapy…I will have to check out the foliage now. Wild geranium is native to eastern North America, all the way from Manitoba and Quebec to Alabama and west to Oklahoma and South Dakota . This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Three bareroot – only one has seemed to make it. The Black Snakeroots have alternate, palmately compound stem leaves where Wild Geranium … These are delicate & pretty. Now its naturalized throughout North America. I agree they tuck into spots beautifully Tammy. You can see my latest post now. Oh that is too bad Christina. This spring, I found some native ones, and planted them where there is afternoon shade. Simply The Best Natives-St. John’s Wort | Gardens Eye View, Simply The Best Natives-Common Elderberry | Gardens Eye View, Meet the Blogger: A Conversation with Kris from California, A Gardener, a Blog Anniversary and a Giveaway, Aberdeen Gardening – Plant profiles and information for the amateur gardener. The native geranium in Europe has tiny pink flowers and red stems, sounds lovely until you smell the foliage – it’s sickly and I hate it, yours on the other hand looks beautiful. Sorry Donna, I’m ashamed to say I don’t know, there are quite a few different native geraniums. In northern states and Canada. Geranium maculatum 2. I lost the burgundy-leafed one I had to cutleaf coneflower. Collect the pods and put them in a paper bag, where they will burst open and release seeds to be easily collected. Donna I love your little geranium, a group of them must look very pretty, thank you for all the interesting information about it, It must be an incredible sight in spring Donna…I hope to go in search of more natives through hikes and walks….they look so beautiful in nature. The Witchipedia displays advertisements and affiliate links from the following businesses: Amazon.com, Ka Gold Jewelry, Botanical Interests, Starwest Botanicals, Inc., and Energy Muse. I think one was accidentally pulled as a weed. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. I always loved creating, and now I am trying to figure out what I really enjoy doing and what I am good at - thus the ridiculously random styles of the designs. The garden … Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum), sometimes called Fox Geranium, is a wild geranium with very finely cut fern-like leaves which are stiffer than most crane's-bills & have the exciting feature of leaves that … The exploded pod looks sort of like a little flower itself. The word Geranium comes from the Greek geranosmeaning “crane” The Wild Geranium rhizome is rich in tannin and was used by early American settlers to tan hides. I am looking forward to their expansion into some lovely stands around the garden beds. I love, love, love geraniums. How wonderful Rose…geraniums are just a perfect perennial! Such stunning specimens. Aunt Bett's Alum Root: Wild Geranium: Sharon Brown: October 5th, 2010: Aunt Bett's Ditch Lilies: Sharon Brown: May 1st, 2012: Autumn Asters: Gwen Bruno: September 13th, 2012: Back From the Brink- Who Cures A Heuchera? Wild geraniums can be propagated by root divisions and seeds. I planted a few cuttings several years ago that I think are the native geranium; they’ve been very reliable in coming back each year. When seeds are ripe, the capsules explode, tossing seeds 10 to 30 feet. In southern and southwest states, a biennial. Any reprints or use of content or photos is by permission only. It can also be used in spells to encourage conception, successful pregnancy and safe childbirth, especially in sympathetic spells. Lots of good information here and I loved your photos, Donna! Love all the information Donna, and great photos as always! A tea of Wild Geranium flowers is an effective counter to many love spells. See our disclosure statement for more information. There are also several introduced geraniums that are considered invasive and I have seen a few of those in my yard. The foliage is also browsed on by deer and small woodland rodents enjoy the seeds. Not a problem in a woodland though. Wild types produce pale pink to lavender saucer-shaped hermaphrodite flowers with five petals from April to June. Seeds are best sown in fall as they need to be stratified. Even the wild geraniums are fine by me. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Geraniums attract butterflies and moths and are an important food source for the larval stage of several species including Lacinipolia lorea, Heliothis virescens, and Hemerocampa leucostigma. Therefore, deadheading is not necessary to encourage more blooming, but you may want to do it if you want to discourage spread. Domesticated cultivars may sprawl. If you do plant yours in the sun, be aware that they will go dormant during very hot, dry periods, but will often come back when conditions improve. It looks wonderful planted with other natives such as bellwort, bloodroot, Solomon’s seal, false Solomon’s seal, ferns, Trillium grandiflorum, common mayapple, woodland phlox, columbine, foam flower, goat’s beard, and violets. I’m wondering if that’s what they did. I hope you will join me for my posts once a month at Beautiful Wildlife Garden. The soil should be rich and humusy, like the woodland floor. Royalty-free images by Mike 1 — No. Fairy Slipper, Calypso bulbosa, photographed on Isle Royale National Park, May … A wild geranium is something I don’t have, but would love to have one day. Hang to dry or lay on a screen until firm yet flexible. They do grow wild along the gorge trails. Geranium maculatum – Spotted geranium, wild geranium, wood geranium, spotted cranesbill, wild cranesbill, alum bloom, alum root, old maid's nightcap; Geranium maderense – Madeira cranesbill, giant herb-Robert; Geranium … And these wild geraniums are perfect for a nice ground cover. These seedpods explode in the height of summer, sending seeds everywhere. They are a sweet cheery plant in spring! 83 of over 1200 images. Wild Geranium, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia May 12, 2009. Still, I would like some variety. The plant is a perennial, blooming in the spring/summer and dying back in fall/winter. I have always loved the cheery flowers of hardy geraniums. Please use caution when using wild plants for medicinal purposes. Here on the west coast we have a native geranium, blooms a little more pink than yours; climbs sweetly into taller neighboring shrubs. The geranium (cranesbill) is herbaceous, grown in flowerbeds in gardens and dying down in winter. I just need to be more vigilent in cutting them back after they flower, so they don’t spread their seeds. I am sure you are busy in your new garden. I am linking in with Gail@Clay and Limestone for her Wildflower Wednesday meme as I profile this wonderful native plant. I do hope you will join me there. I love my hardy geraniums that behave which is why I had to plant a native one…similar and lovely. Love these sweet little blooms! In terms of folklore, the presence of the white geranium meant that snakes stayed away. thickets, shaded roadside areas and dappled meadows. The roots were steeped in hot water to help with inflamed gums and toothaches. Indeed it is a stunning, delicate, sweet plant…too bad Janet that your native one has stinky foliage…I wonder the purpose of the odor. I have 2 different varieties: the larger leaf and the smaller leaf variety. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. I share your fondness for the hardy Geraniums, your natives look great. The stems are slightly hairy. Long-lived, undemanding in care, and suitable for spreading groundcovers in woodlands and naturalistic gardens, wild geraniums … Other Names Crane’s bill, Spotted Geranium, Spotted Cranesbill, Wood Geranium, Spotted Cranesbill, Wild Cranesbill, Crowfoot, Dove’s-foot, Old Maid’s Nightcap, Shameface, hardy geranium, wild geranium, Note: When most people say geranium, they mean pelargonium. Smaller and distinctly different from the natives which makes it easy more sun the plant receives, the can... Bit of the hardy geraniums just before the plant flowers and then dried for later use to! Average to well-drained soil in full sun to part shade: the larger leaf and the leaf... The Northeastern United States and many cultivars are sold in nurseries green foliage that grows 24″... Kept away bulbosa, photographed on Isle Royale National Park, Virginia, 13... One i had visions of it m ashamed to say i don ’ t made it out to check them! 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