Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
Photo by Pam Ford
Summary
Small in stature but large on value for pollinators, this woodland native thrives in shady locations. The lavender-pink flowers appear in spring, with dark lines on their petals serving as ‘nectar guides’ that point the way to sweet rewards for visiting insects . The deeply lobed leaves create an attractive ground cover throughout the growing season, and turn red in fall for another season of interest. Planted en masse, wild geranium is a top choice for a ‘soft landing’ under trees in a layered landscape.
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FAMILY
Geraniaceae (Geranium)
BLOOM TIME
May-June
FLOWER
pink
MATURE SIZE
2 feet
LIGHT REQUIREMENT
Shade to Part Shade
SOIL CONDITIONS
Average
NATIVE STATUS
PA Native
Ecosystem Connections
Bumble bees, mason bees, mining bees, wood-nesting green metallic sweat bees, and syrphid flies are some of the most common pollinators of wild geranium, although ants and beetles also visit the flowers. Andrena distans, a mining bee, is a pollen-gathering specialist of wild geranium. Wild geranium is a larval host plant for the leaf-mining moth and the white-marked tussock moth. Small mammals such as chipmunks eat the seeds.
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