Richardson's Geranium
Geranium richardsonii
Richardson's Geranium (Geranium richardsonii) is a native perennial with deeply cut leaves and five-petaled white to pale pink flowers marked with purple or pink veins. It blooms June into August in moist forest drainages, shaded canyons and streamside meadows, mainly in the central and northern Black Hills. Photographed in the Black Hills.
| Family | Geraniaceae · Geranium |
|---|---|
| Status | Native perennial |
| Blooms | June into August |
| Height | 30–90 cm (12–35 in) |
| Where | Moist forest drainages, shaded canyons and streamside meadows |
| Also called | White Crane's-bill, White Geranium |
| Traditional use | The Cheyenne powdered the leaves and snuffed the powder to control nosebleeds. |
Roots, seeds & germination
Root: A stout, woody taproot that develops into a branched, rhizome-like base.
Seed: A beak-like fruit, 20–28 mm long, that splits into five one-seeded parts as it ripens from late summer into autumn. A long tail on each seed coils when mature and helps the pointed seed work into the soil.
Germination: Fresh seed has a tough coat. It needs scarifying (scratching the coat) or 60 to 90 days of cold, moist treatment, or it can be sown outdoors in late fall.
How do you identify Richardson's Geranium?
Look for white to pale pink petals with purple or pink veins, and leaves cut into 3 to 7 toothed lobes, with hairs only along the veins on the underside. Sticky Geranium has pink to purple petals and leaves that are sticky-hairy all over. There are reports that the two may cross.
When does it bloom?
June into August.
Where does it grow?
Moist forest drainages, shaded canyons and streamside meadows, mainly in the central and northern Black Hills. It does best in moist soil and part shade.
Other flowers to compare
Sources: SDSU Open PRAIRIE: Geranium richardsonii; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Geranium richardsonii; Utah State University Extension, Range Plants of Utah: Richardson's Geranium; USDA Plant Guide: Geranium viscosissimum; Flora of the Yellowstone Ecosystem: Geranium of the Yellowstone Ecosystem; Forest Service, Black Hills National Forest: Black Hills Native Plants.