Geranium richardsonii

Common Names

Richardson's Geranium, White Geranium, Crane's-Bill

Summary

Richardson's geranium is a native western North American perennial herb with ascending to erect stems reaching 30–90 cm tall, forming a clump with basal palmately lobed leaves and five-petaled flowers that are white to pale pink or purple with purple veins; a beak-like persistent fruit follows, and it occurs in moist meadows, forest openings, woodlands, and riparian zones from Alaska to New Mexico and British Columbia to Montana, with bloom from April to October.

For cultivation, it prefers moist, well-drained soils and can tolerate full sun to partial shade, hardy in USDA zones 3a–9b; reproduction occurs by seed and rhizomes, with spacing about 12–18 inches and a mature height of 12–36 inches and spread of 18–24 inches. Uses include pollinator-friendly landscaping, erosion control, and wildlife forage, attracting bees and providing habitat value.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

1-3 feet

Spread

1-2 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3a-9b

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial shade; tolerates full sun to partial shade and full shade.

Soil Type

Moist to semi-wet loam soil with good drainage

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

6.1–7.0, slightly acidic to neutral

Bloom Color

White, Pink, Purple

Bloom Time

Spring, Summer, Fall

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Moderate growth rate, 12-24 inches/year

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Division, Cuttings, Rhizomes (vegetative propagation)

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, birds