We have recently published ‘Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions’: i.e. tropical and sub-tropical regions. We rely on regular donations to keep our free database going and help fund development of this and another book we are planning on food forest plants for Mediterranean climates. Please give what you can to keep PFAF properly funded. More >>>

Follow Us:

 

Geranium robertianum - L.

Common Name Herb Robert, Robert geranium
Family Geraniaceae
USDA hardiness 5-9
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Moist shady positions in undergrowth[7], rocks and walls, hedge banks, roadsides and waste places[9].
Range Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia to N. Africa, east to.Japan and the Himalayas
Edibility Rating    (0 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential Yes
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Well drained soil Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Geranium robertianum Herb Robert, Robert geranium


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Geranium_robertianum_Sturm7.jpg
Geranium robertianum Herb Robert, Robert geranium
http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anv%C3%A4ndare:Christer_Johansson

 

Translate this page:

Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Geranium robertianum is a ANNUAL/BIENNIAL growing to 0.4 m (1ft 4in) by 0.4 m (1ft 4in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to October, and the seeds ripen from July to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insect. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Hedgerow; North Wall. In. East Wall. In. West Wall. In.

Edible Uses

None known

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antidiarrhoeal  Antirheumatic  Astringent  Diuretic  Homeopathy  Vulnerary

Herb Robert is little used in modern herbalism, but is occasionally employed as an astringent to halt bleeding, treat diarrhoea etc in much the same way as G. maculatum[254]. The leaves are antirheumatic, astringent, mildly diuretic and vulnerary[7, 9, 21, 222, 238]. Modern research has shown that the leaves can lower blood sugar levels and so it can be useful in the treatment of diabetes[244]. An infusion of the leaves is used in the treatment of bleeding, stomach ailments, kidney infections, jaundice etc[222]. Externally, a wash or poultice is applied to swollen and painful breasts[222], rheumatic joints[7], bruises, bleeding etc[9]. It is best to use the entire plant, including the roots[9]. The plant can be harvested at any time from late spring to early autumn and is usually used fresh[9, 238]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant[9]. Details of uses are not given in this report[K].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Tropical Plants

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Temperate Plants

Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital media.
More Books

PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital formats. Browse the shop for more information.

Shop Now

Other Uses

Dye  Repellent

Freshly picked leaves are rubbed on the body to repel mosquitoes[53]. They impart their own peculiar odour. A brown dye is obtained from the whole plant[168].

Special Uses

Food Forest  Scented Plants

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in any moderately fertile retentive soil in a sunny position[200]. Tolerates a wide range of soil types[200], succeeding in dry soils[238]. Grows well on woodland edges[24]. The whole plant has an unpleasant aroma[244]. The foxy smell is particularly pronounced after rain[245]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits[233].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

image

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

Shop Now

Plant Propagation

Seed - sow spring in situ.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Cyprus, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia (Ciscaucasia), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation (Dagestan), Russian Federation (Altay), Kazakhstan (east), Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan (north), Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, China (Guizhou Sheng, Hubei Sheng, Hunan Sheng, Sichuan Sheng, Xizang Zizhiqu, Yunnan Sheng, Zhejiang Sheng), Japan (Honshu, Shikoku), Taiwan TROPICAL ASIA: India (northwest), Nepal, Pakistan (north) EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Russian Federation (European part), Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine (incl. Krym), Albania, Bulgaria, Greece (incl. Crete), Croatia, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal AFRICA: Spain (Canarias), Portugal (Madeira Islands), Algeria (north), Libya (north), Morocco, Tunisia

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Bauhinia purpureaOrchid Tree, Purple Butterfly Tree, Mountain Ebony, Geranium Tree, Purple BauhiniaTree10.0 9-12 FLMSNM224
Geranium bicknelliiBicknell's cranesbillAnnual/Biennial0.6 0-0  LMHNM11 
Geranium dissectumCut-Leafed Cranesbill, Cutleaf geraniumAnnual0.6 6-9  LMHNM122
Geranium erianthumWooly GeraniumPerennial0.3 3-7  LMHSNM11 
Geranium incanumGeranium, CranesbillPerennial0.4 4-9 FLMHNM10 
Geranium lucidumShining geraniumAnnual0.5 6-9  LMHNDM01 
Geranium macrorrhizumBigroot GeraniumPerennial0.5 4-8 FLMHFSNDM013
Geranium maculatumSpotted Cranesbill, Spotted geranium, Crowfoot, Wild Geranium, CranesbillPerennial0.6 3-10 MLMHNMWe032
Geranium molleDovefoot GeraniumAnnual0.4 -  LMHNDM01 
Geranium nepalenseNepalese Crane's BillPerennial1.0 6-9  LMHNM121
Geranium ocellatum Annual0.3 -  LMHNM01 
Geranium pilosum Perennial0.3 -  LMHNM10 
Geranium potentilloidesNative Carrot, Cinquefoil geraniumPerennial0.6 0-0  LMHNM10 
Geranium pratenseMeadow Crane's Bill, Meadow geranium, GeraniumPerennial1.2 5-9 FLMHNM02 
Geranium pusillumSmall geraniumPerennial1.0 6-9  LMHNDM01 
Geranium rotundifoliumRoundleaf geraniumAnnual0.4 6-9  LMHNM01 
Geranium sibiricumSiberian geraniumPerennial0.2 5-9  LMHNM01 
Geranium solanderiSolander's GeraniumPerennial0.6 -  LMHNM10 
Geranium sylvaticumWood Cranesbill, Woodland geraniumPerennial1.0 4-8  LMHFSNM003
Geranium thunbergiiThunberg's geraniumPerennial0.3 6-9  LMHNM11 
Geranium tuberosum Perennial0.3 7-10  LMHNM20 
Geranium viscosissimumSticky Geranium, Sticky purple geraniumPerennial0.8 6-9  LMHSNM12 
Geranium wallichianum Perennial0.3 6-9  LMHSNM023
Geranium wilfordii Perennial0.6 -  LMHSNM02 
Heuchera americanaRock Geranium, American alumroot, Alumroot, Coral Bells, Rock GeraniumPerennial0.5 4-9 MLMSNM032
Pelargonium australeIvy GeraniumPerennial0.3 8-11  LMNDM11 
Pelargonium capitatumRose-Scented GeraniumShrub0.6 8-11  LMNDM033
Pelargonium crispumLemon GeraniumShrub0.7 8-11  LMSNDM223
Pelargonium exstipulatumPennyroyal GeraniumShrub1.0 8-11  LMNDM122
12

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

17200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Martina Weatherley   Thu Dec 29 2005

It is fascinating to discover that the foxy smell of Herb Robert has the effect of repelling rabbits. We have, perhaps insanely, tried to combine a small courtyard garden with pet rabbits for the past nine years and I have indeed noticed that the things I've planted in containers where Herb Robert has seeded itself, have been left in relative peace. Every other container and its contents has been comprehensively raided sooner or later by the rabbits - no matter how inaccessible I thought they were - and that included plants which rabbits are supposed not to like such as lavender and thyme which they bit into lots of little pieces just to exercise their teeth I think. I'm now going to study this phenomenon more closely and experiment with deliberately ring fencing precious plants with Herb Robert. It arrived by itself and I always liked it.

Steve Redman   Tue Jul 31 2007

Fine native in Europe, Asia. Horrible noxious weed in the northern parts of the U.S./southern Canada. Some States claim it's native (Maryland & Wisconsin), I doubt they have evidence of this. It's introduced from Eurasia. I can smell it's horrid odor at least six feet away. Like a petro-chemical factory, totally nauseating. It is my most dreaded weed here in western Washington, almost worse than creeping buttercup (R. repens). But a greater threat to woodland ecology than buttercup.

Aisling Blackburn   Sun Apr 26 2009

I have been led to understand that herb robert is a highly medicinal plant when eaten on a daily basis in salads in small portions. I have heard it has anticarcinogenic qualities. Has anyone heard simelar acounts ?

Lucy Icleanu   Mon Oct 12 2009

Hello I am trying very hard to get this tea, Geranium Robertianum, and I cannot find it anywhere. Can someone help me to get it? I need it ASAP Thank you in advance for your help Sincerely Lucy Icleanu 8397 Langdon St, Philadelphia, PA 19090 Ph# 215-722-0960 Cel# 215-349-0310 [email protected]

I found this plant volunteering in a plant that recently came to Southern California from Northern California. It has since come up in several pots in my garden. I had a hunch and looked it and up and it is listed as an invasive species. Comment from Steve above confirms that view.   Jul 31 2014 12:00AM

I found this plant volunteering in a plant that recently came to Southern California from Northern California. It has since come up in several pots in my garden. I had a hunch and looked it and up and it is listed as an invasive species. Comment from Steve above confirms that view.
Invasive Plants Atlas

   Jul 31 2014 12:00AM

I found this plant volunteering in a plant that recently came to Southern California from Northern California. It has since come up in several pots in my garden. I had a hunch and looked it and up and it is listed as an invasive species in the US. Comment from Steve above confirms that view. http://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=11980

Add a comment

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.

Subject : Geranium robertianum  
© 2010, Plants For A Future. Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567.