Hedgerow crane's-bill

Hedgerow crane’s-bill (Geranium pyrenaicum) is also known as the Pyrenean or mountain crane’s-bill, because it grows in mountainous regions of Southern Europe, but it is only found as a lowland plant in the United Kingdom (notably the south and east of England). It is not native to Britain, having first been recorded here in 1762. Formerly a rare plant, it has increased in numbers in recent years and it is especially prevalent in overgrown churchyards, growing alongside grasses and dandelions. It is also found in hedgerows, field margins and on wasteland.

The plant has upright stems between 9 and 24 inches (23-60 centimetres) high. The rounded leaves are “half lobed” in that the indentations go only half way to the midrib. The flowers, which appear between June and August, are light purple and grow in pairs. The sepals are oval and pointed and the petals deeply notched.

The name crane’s-bill comes from the shape of the pointed fruits, which are thought to resemble the beak of the crane (a bird resembling the stork). The fruits are smooth and downy, each containing a single seed. A long thin style runs up the outside of each fruit. When the seed is ripe the style acts like a spring, flinging the seed up to 10 feet (3 metres) from the parent plant.

The botanical name of this plant could be taken to mean that it is related to the garden plants with bright red flowers that are generally knowns as geraniums. However, the latter is a member of the Pelargonium family.

© John Welford