A spring wildflower with brilliant pink-purple flowers.

Also called: Wild Geranium, Spotted Cranesbill

Native status: Native to eastern North America

§ Quick facts

SizeHeight 30–60 cm
LifespanPerennial
OrderGeraniales
FamilyGeraniaceae

§ Encyclopedia

Geranium maculatum, the wild geranium, spotted geranium, or wood geranium, is a perennial plant native to woodlands in eastern North America, from southern Manitoba and southwestern Quebec south to Alabama and Georgia and west to Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Source: Wikipedia — Geranium maculatum Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Plant with deeply-lobed palmate leaves; clusters of 5-petaled pink-purple flowers.

Similar species. Other Geranium species. Carolina Cranesbill.

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. N/A — photosynthesis

Behavior. Native spring wildflower. Seeds explosively ejected from ripe seed pods.

§ Range

Eastern North America

§ Habitat

Open woodlands

§ Threats

Habitat loss.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the wild geranium is currently classified as Least Concern.

§ What helps

Plant native geraniums in shade gardens.

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§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • USDA Plants Database
  • Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center