Geranium (Cranesbills)

Geranium (Cranesbills) is a genus comprising 422 species of flowering plants in the family Geraniaceae. They are annual, biennial, and perennial plants found throughout the temperate regions of the world, and the mountain of the tropics. Most species are found in the eastern part of the Mediterranean region. The common name cranesbill is derived from the shape of the unsprung column of a seed capsule, which in some species is long and look like the bill of a crane. However, many species in the genus do not have a long beak-like column.

Geranium species have leaves that are broadly circular, long and palmately cleft. The 5-petaled flowers are white, pink, purple or blue, often with distinctive veining. Geranium species have distinctive mechanism for seed dispersal. The seed capsule consists of a beak-like column which spring open when ripe and casts seeds to some distance. Each seed capsule consists of 5 segments, each containing a seed, and are joined to a column produced from the center of the flower.

Geraniums are eaten by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including mouse moth and brown-tail.

Geranium will grow in any well-drained soil. Propagation is by semi-ripe cuttings in summer, by seeds or by division in spring or autumn.

Geranium endressii
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