wild geranium
Geranium maculatum
What it is
Geranium maculatum, the (wild geranium, spotted geranium, or wood geranium, is a perennial plant native to woodland in eastern North America, from southern Manitoba and southwestern Quebec south to Alabama and Georgia and west to Oklahoma and South Dakota.
Where and when to find it
- Habitat
- You can find wild geraniums in moist woods, forest edges, and clearings throughout the eastern and central United States.
- How to find it
- Search in deciduous forests during springtime. They often grow in patches on the forest floor. Look for their distinct five-petaled flowers.
- Best time of day
- Spring, mainly April to June, when they are in bloom. Look during the day.
How it lives
- What it eats
- Makes its own food using sunlight (photosynthesis).
- What eats it
- Deer, rabbits, some insect larvae eat leaves; nectar is taken by insects.
Worth knowing
- Its seeds are held in a long, crane-like 'beak' that splits open when ripe.
- The plant's scientific name, maculatum, means 'spotted,' referring to the leaves or stem.
- Sometimes called spotted geranium.
- Native Americans used parts of this plant for traditional remedies.
- Its leaves turn a beautiful reddish-bronze in the fall.
- Bees love to visit these flowers for nectar and pollen.
Why it matters
Wild Geraniums provide early spring nectar for pollinators. They are an important food source for many insects.