Minnesota Wildflowers


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Geranium maculatum (Wild Geranium)

Plant Info
Also known as: Spotted Geranium, Spotted Cranebill, Wild Cranebill Alumroot
Genus:Geranium
Family:Geraniaceae (Geranium)
Life cycle:perennial
Origin:native
Habitat:part shade, shade; woods
Bloom season:May - June
Plant height:1 to 2 feet
USDA PLANTS database:Minnesota county distribution map
Spotted in Ramsey County at:

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Detailed Information

Flower: 5-petals

[photo of flower] Flowers are 1 to 1½ inches across, 5 rounded pink to lavender petals and 10 stamens with yellow or light brown tips. The petals are streaked with darker lines along the length, and may fade to white at the center of the flower. From 1 to several flowers branch off the top of the main stem.

Leaves and stem: basal opposite lobed

[photo of leaves] Leaves surrounding the base of the plant are 3 to 6 inches across and deeply divided into 3 or 5 lobes, which may be further divided and coarsely toothed, on long leaf stems. There are a few smaller leaves at the top of the plant near the flowers that have no leaf stem. Leaves and the main stem are both hairy.

Fruit:

[photo of fruit] Fruit is a long slender capsule to 1½ inches long with 5 cells, each containing 1 seed. The color changes from green to deep brown as the seeds ripen.

[photo of mature seed] As the seed matures, the leafy part of the cells curl back and fling the seeds out away from the mother plant.

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Map of native plant purveyors in the upper midwest

More photos

Photos taken at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton, MN and Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park, Coon Rapids, MN May-June 2007

Comments

Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?

Posted by: Lynn in Minneapolis
on: 2010-05-20 18:55:54

It is easy to see this plant (blooming now) at the Minnehaha Dog Park. One specific place is the clearing under the power lines near the bottom of the old RR tie stairs. This plant is growing in both very sunny and quite shady locations.

Posted by: Linda in Sunrise Township
on: 2010-06-02 09:47:41

My Son and I went for a walk on old government road and saw these flowers in the ditch.

Posted by: Alison in Preston, Fillmore County
on: 2010-07-12 14:56:38

Wild geranium was spotted during my turkey hunting in mid-May in the Fillmore County farm land in Preston.

Posted by: lylly in isle, mn
on: 2010-10-02 16:25:46

i see them all the time in may

Posted by: Pat in Meeker co
on: 2011-01-31 20:39:47

Found Growing in old woods with some sun. A Spectacular wildflower. This belongs in everyone's garden.

Posted by: Joyce in hickory woods near Hollandale, MN
on: 2011-06-01 10:01:40

DH always called all these lovely lavender colored wildflowers, 'laurel' ~~but actually learned from your site that they're are actually 2 different types ~the other is the virginia or eastern waterleaf. We enjoy them every spring behind our home. So now I know what they're REALLY called~~lol

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