The Crane's-bill Family
What are they?
The crane's-bills and stork's-bills are related to the well-known garden geraniums. However, with their dark-blotched leaves and scarlet flowers, these garden species should correctly be called pelargoniums. This is a very widespread family, but in northern temperate zones, tends to be represented by rather small species, a number of which occur mostly as weeds of disturbed ground.
Where are they found?
Members of this family can mostly be found in disturbed ground of farms and gardens and in waste places. The deeper-rooted perennials may be found in shady woodland or grassy roadsides.
Identification
Species are most readily recognised as belonging to this group when in fruit, due to the long, pointed pod which gives the group its English names. Within the group, the combination of flower and leaf should identify the species fairly easily. The stork's-bills differ from the crane's-bills by having rounded, not notched, petals.
Spotted Crane's-bill Geranium maculatum
Dry ground in woods and other shady areas. Often spreads to form quite extensive patches. Flowers late April to June.
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Carolina Crane's-bill Geranium carolinianum
A small annual of disturbed ground in fields, roadsides and gardens. Flowers May to August.
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| above leafy bract |
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into narrow lobes |
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Cut-leaved Crane's-bill Geranium dissectum
Introduced from Europe. Currently known in Cape May from a few sites in the southern third of the county. Flowers May to August. Easily identified by its combination of brilliant cerise pink flowers and deeply cut leaves.
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into narrow lobes |
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Long-stalked Crane's-bill Geranium columbinum
Introduced from Europe. Currently known in Cape May from a single site in the southern half of the county but may occasionally appear as an adventive of disturbed ground or waste places. Flowers June to July. Easily identified by its flowers which are carried high on long stalks.
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into narrow lobes |
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Small-flowered Crane's-bill Geranium pusillum
Introduced from Europe. An uncommon species generally but occurs in scattered locations on grassy roadsides and other disturbed, open sites. Flowers May to September. Leaves almost identical to those of Dove's-foot Crane's-bill but the flower petals are much smaller and narrower and they are a paler, slightly purplish, pink.
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Dove's-foot Crane's-bill Geranium molle
Introduced from Europe. A common and widespread species in all kinds of open and disturbed ground. Flowers May to September. Flowers usually rich carmine-pink, but plants with pale lilac flowers also occur.
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Herb Robert Geranium robertianum
Introduced from Europe. A slender, leafy plant of shady places. Flowers April to June. Leaves and seedpods are typical of the crane's-bills, but flower petals are not notched at the tip.
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Common Stork's-bill Erodium cicutarium
A common to abundant introduced species from Europe. Spreads rapidly in sandy soils in disturbed areas and as a lawn weed on gardens and along roadsides. Flowers can be very eye-catching early in the season. Flowers April to June.
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