Pinewoods Geranium
Geranium caespitosum
Family: Geraniaceae
Evergreen perennial usually about a foot tall and wide. Light pink to purple 5-petaled flowers appear summer into fall. Fleshy tuberous roots.
Part sun to shade, moderate to regular water (good drainage is important). This plant is very cold hardy, probably to well below 0°F.
Pollinated by native bees, bumblebees. Larval host for many moth species.
This plant has been used medicinally (internally and externally) for many ailments.
Photo by Max Licher, SEINET
Geranium caespitosum on iNaturalist
Geranium comes from from the Greek geranos, "crane," from the beak-like fruit, while caespitosum means caespitose, having a densely-clumped, tufted or cushion-like growth form, with the flowers held above the clump or tuft.
Commonly found in pine forests from 5,000-9,000’ throughout the Rocky Mountains in the west, and into northen Mexico.