Herb Robert
Geranium robertianum
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Ferny leaves that turn bright red in poor ground, and a smell most people dislike.
A sprawling annual or biennial with finely divided, ferny leaves and small five-petalled pink flowers. In dry or nutrient-poor situations — wall tops, shingle, stony banks — the whole plant flushes a striking scarlet. Herb Robert is common on hedge banks, walls, shaded stony ground and in gardens throughout the Dumfries area, flowering for months on end.
Behaviour
The seed capsule is built like a catapult: as it dries, the long beak splits into strips that spring back suddenly and flick the seeds several metres. The crushed foliage has a strong, sharp, slightly mousy smell that many people find unpleasant. It flowers over a very long season and readily colonises cracks in walls, paving and rockeries.
When to see it
Quick facts
- Family
- Cranesbills (Geraniaceae)
- Height
- 10–40 cm
- Status
- Native; common on banks, walls and stony ground
Photo by Sannse, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons