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 pratense - L.

Common Name Meadow Crane's Bill, Meadow geranium, Geranium
Family Geraniaceae
USDA hardiness 5-9
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Meadows and roadsides[17].
Range Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to Spain, the Himalayas and N. Asia.
Edibility Rating    (0 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Full sun
Geranium pratense Meadow Crane


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Thisisbossi
Geranium pratense Meadow Crane

 

Translate this page:

Summary

Bloom Color: Lavender. Main Bloom Time: Late spring. Form: Upright or erect. Form: Upright or erect.


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Geranium pratense is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.2 m (4ft) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5. It is in flower from June to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

 Meadow;

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.
Analgesic  Antiinflammatory  Febrifuge  Vulnerary

The plant is used as a vulnerary[240]. The root is used in Tibetan medicine where it is said to have an acrid, sweet flavour plus a cooling potency[241]. Analgesic, anti-inflammatory and febrifuge, it is used in the treatment of fevers from influenza, inflammation of the lungs, pain and swellings of the limbs[241].

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

None known

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Landscape Uses:Alpine garden, Border. Succeeds in any moderately fertile retentive soil in a sunny position[200]. Tolerates a wide range of soil types[200]. There are many named varieties, selected for their ornamental value[200]. Plants can be naturalized in meadows[200]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits[233]. Special Features: Attractive foliage, Not North American native, Naturalizing, Suitable for cut flowers.

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 a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring or autumn. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Turkey, Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia (Ciscaucasia), Armenia, Georgia, Russian Federation-Western Siberia (Western Siberia), Russian Federation-Eastern Siberia (Eastern Siberia), Kazakhstan (east), Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, China TROPICAL ASIA: India (north), Nepal, Pakistan (north) EUROPE: Finland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, France

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 pusillumSmall geraniumPerennial1.0 6-9  LMHNDM01 
Geranium robertianumHerb Robert, Robert geraniumAnnual/Biennial0.4 5-9  LMHSNDM022
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

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 pratense  
© 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.