Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)

The wild geranium is a perennial woodland plant native to eastern North America. It has been historically used in ritual ceremonies by Native Americans. Many cultivars have been selected for horticulture usage due to their unique flowers and beaklike seed pods. Among the geraniums, wild geranium has the largest flowers.

I. Appearance and Characteristics

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

It is known as spotted cranesbill or wild cranesbill in Europe, but the wood cranesbill is another plant, the related G. sylvaticum (a European native called “woodland geranium” in North America). Colloquial names are alum root, alum bloom and old maid’s nightcap.

It is a perennial herbaceous plant growing to 60 cm (2 ft) tall, producing upright, usually unbranched stems and flowers in spring to early summer. The leaves are palmately lobed with five or seven deeply cut lobes, 10–12.5 cm (4–5 in) broad, with a petiole up to 30 cm (12 in) long arising from the rootstock. They are deeply parted into three or five divisions, each of which is again cleft and toothed.

The flowers are 2.5–4 cm (1.0–1.6 in) in diameter, with five rose-purple, pale or violet-purple (rarely white) petals and ten stamens. In the Northern Hemisphere, they appear from April to June (precise dates depend on the latitude). They are grouped in loose combs or umbels of two to five at the top of the flower stems.

The fruit capsule, which springs open when ripe, consists of five cells each containing one seed joined to a long beak-like column 2–3 cm (0.8–1.2 in) long (resembling a crane’s bill) produced from the center of the old flower.

The rhizome is long, and 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in) thick, with numerous branches. It is covered with scars, showing the remains of stems of previous years’ growth. When dry it has a somewhat purplish color internally.

The plant is well-known in cultivation, and numerous cultivars have been developed. The cultivar ‘Elizabeth Ann’ has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

II. How to Grow and Care

Sunlight

The wild geranium will grow stronger and will flower better when placed in a sunny spot. However, if it is growing in a hot place with direct sunlight, it needs proper shading and adequate moisture. In seasons where the temperature is lower than 4 ℃, plants should be moved indoors.

Temperature and Humidity

Wild geraniums are fairly winter hardy in their comfort zone (USDA 5-8). However, prolonged cold temperatures might kill them; a covering of natural mulch for winter will help protect the roots from deep cold. Because they like a moist soil environment, they’re not bothered by excess humidity.

Watering

Wild geranium is suitable for growing in a humid environment. It needs to have enough water during its growth period, especially in the summer when the weather is hot – watering is necessary to bring down the surface temperature of the plant. Control watering in the winter, as excessive watering will make its roots rot.

Water the soil after it has been completely dry for a day or two, which can increase the tolerance of the plant and stimulate it to flower more. But, if the soil is left dry for too long, the plant will begin to lose its leaves and start to wither. Watering must be stopped during days of continuous rain, and the drainage should be cleared promptly so that any accumulated water can drain out quickly.

Soil

The wild geranium is not picky about the pH level of its soil, but this should ideally be neutral to slightly acidic (pH between 5.8 and 6.5). Its root system distribution is relatively shallow, making it suitable for planting in sandy soil. Loosening of the soil is required before planting, so that moisture and nutrients can quickly penetrate through to the roots, which also makes it easier for the roots to grow. Weeding is required at the same time when the soil is being loosened, otherwise the weeds will take up most of the nutrients in the soil.

Fertilizing

Wild geranium can grow quickly and healthily with enough nutrients. Therefore, in addition to a base fertilizer applied at the time of sowing, additional fertilizing should also be subsequently carried out during its maintenance. According to its growth pattern, fertilization during the plant’s rapid growth period (in spring) every year is most suitable, with topdressing being carried out 1-2 times.

Applying a slow release fertilizer to plants grown outdoors can effectively prevent soil fertility from being diluted by heavy rainfall. When planting indoors, it is necessary to wait until the plants have grown before applying a balanced formula of liquid fertilizer, which is more conducive to plant growth. Applying a phosphate fertilizer during flowering can make flowering better, and can also prolong the flowering period.

Planting Instructions

The wild geranium is easy to sow, and this should take place in the spring and fall of each year. Before sowing, the soil should be loosened and good drainage should be ensured in the planting area or pot. After loosening the soil in the planting area, apply a thin and even layer of base fertilizer, before covering with a thin layer of soil. Then, sprinkle the seeds into it before laying a final thin layer of soil over them.

A warm, humid environment and abrasions on the seeds before sowing can help germination, which will usually take 2 weeks. If it is to be planted for a long time, you may need to keep seedlings under cover after sowing, for planting out in the coming year. Fertilization should be carried out once before flowering, with a compound fertilizer containing phosphorus and potassium being preferred. The seeds will be much more nourished after fertilization.

Pruning

The wild geranium grows relatively slowly and requires only simple trimming. Large-scale pruning will affect the growth of the plant, and could even cause it to die.

Propagation

The easiest way to propagate wild geraniums is to simply divide and replant the rhizomes in autumn or early spring. They tend to form new rhizomes at right angles which makes them fairly simple to divide. Replant the divisions (make sure your rhizome is at least 3-4 inches long), water every other day, and they should establish themselves quickly.

How to Get to Bloom

The best way to extend the bloom season is to deadhead spent blossoms. If you find your wild geraniums aren’t blooming as much as they once did, there are a couple of things to try. First, be sure they have plenty of room to spread; if the rhizomes get overcrowded, or grow into a stone wall or other barrier, this will affect their flowering. Second, be sure the soil is rich enough: a light top dressing of manure or compost in mid autumn will keep the soil rich.

III. Types of Wild Geraniums

There are hundreds of varieties of wild geraniums, and many hybrids. Some common cultivars of Geranium maculatum include:

• ‘Album’ has white flowers with a somewhat speckled appearance, with light brown seed capsules and light green leaves.
• ‘Espresso’ has pale pink flowers and dark reddish-brown leaves; the flowers are on the smaller side. Nice for color variety in the shade garden.
• ‘Elizabeth Ann’ is a lavender blue-flowering variety with dark brown leaves.

IV. Uses and Benefits

• Ornamental uses

Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) is a valued garden plant since it can grow in conditions of shade, drought, and poor soil. It produces showy pink-white flowers that are great attractors of butterflies. This plant is suitable for rock and gravel gardens and fits well in the flower beds and borders of cottage and informal gardens. This plant makes an appealing partner to columbines, goat’s beards, and violets.

• Medicinal uses

The plant has been used in herbal medicine, and is also grown as a garden plant. Wild geranium is considered an astringent, a substance that causes contraction of the tissues and stops bleeding. The Mesquakie Indians brewed a root tea for toothache and for painful nerves and mashed the roots for treating hemorrhoids.

V. Harvesting and Storage

Most of the wild geranium varieties are seed bearing, with only a few that aren’t, making collecting of the seeds very convenient. For planting by sowing, the mature seeds should be collected.

Its flowering period is in the summer, while its fruiting period is in late summer or early fall. Its seed pods will slowly change color when they begin to mature, and a part of them will begin to burst outwards. They can be collected in paper bags at this point, ventilated and dried, and the best seeds can be selected for storage.

When the fruit matures in summer and fall, the part above the ground can be cut off or be pulled up entirely. Clean off the soil and impurities and dry it in the sun to be used for medicinal purposes.