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Brundage, Stephanie

Geranium carolinianum

Geranium carolinianum L.

Carolina Geranium, Wild Geranium, Carolina Cranesbill

Geraniaceae (Geranium Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: GECA5

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

Carolina cranesbill is a much-branched and sprawling, pubescent annual or biennial, usually no taller than 1 ft. Leaves are palmately five-parted, these divisions being cleft or lobed again. Five-petaled, pale pink or white flowers occur in loose terminal clusters.

Cranesbill is a member of the geranium family (family Geraniaceae). Geraniums are leafy herbs with showy white, pink, or purple flowers in clusters. There are about 11 genera and nearly 800 species, with many occurring frequently in the north temperate zone.

From the Image Gallery

15 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Schizocarp
Size Notes: May be up to about 2 feet tall. Usually no more than 1 foot tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Pink
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , AZ , CA , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , MT , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY
Canada: AB , BC , ON , SK
Native Distribution: Scattered from New England to WI & B.C., s. across the US to FL & then south to central Mex.
Native Habitat: Dry, hard fields; rocky woods

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Description: Gravelly to clay soils.
Conditions Comments: Can become weedy.

Propagation

Description: Propagate by seed.
Seed Treatment: Seed does not require pretreatment.
Commercially Avail: yes

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Fredericksburg Nature Center - Fredericksburg, TX
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Pineywoods Native Plant Center - Nacogdoches, TX
Stengl Biological Research Station - Smithville, TX

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0748 Collected Apr 3, 1994 in Comal County by Mary Beth White
NPSOT 0697 Collected Mar 11, 1994 in Bexar County by Mike Fox

2 specimen(s) available in the Digital Herbarium

Bibliography

Bibref 1294 - The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.
Bibref 286 - Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country (1989) Enquist, M.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 75 - Southwest Desert Flora (2020) Southwest Desert Flora
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Geranium carolinianum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Geranium carolinianum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Geranium carolinianum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-01-24
Research By: TWC Staff

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