Geranium incanum (Carpet Crane’s Bill)
This project collects observations of Geranium incanum (Carpet Crane’s Bill) in California to facilitate identification and prevent misidentification of this species.
Geranium incanum is a species of flowering plant in the geranium family (Geraniaceae) known by the common names Carpet Crane’s Bill or Carpet Geranium. This annual herbaceous plant is native to South Africa, but has naturalized in California.
Photo tips:
- It’s important to get a picture of the entire plant.
- It's also helpful to get close-up pictures of the face of the flowers, sepals, leaves, and fruits, if present.
- If there are multiple plants in the picture, it’s helpful to crop your photo to focus on the plant of interest.
How to identify Geranium incanum:
- Height: It spreads and forms a dense carpet approximately 30 cm (12 in) high with a spread of 30‒40 cm (12‒16 in)
- Flowers: It produces an abundance of large flowers in shades of pink, mauve or sometimes white. Pedicels are narrow, slender.
- Leaves: Its finely divided leaf lobes, which give it a soft texture, are borne on long petioles and have greenish-grey, smooth or hairy upper surfaces and hairy, white undersides.
- Habitat: It grows in full sun or semi-shade, but it flowers better and forms a tighter carpet in full sun.
- Flowering period: It flowers almost all year round with a peak in spring and summer.
Similar Species:
• Geranium sanguineum (Bloody Crane’s Bill)
• Geranium pratense (Meadow Crane’s Bill)
References:
- Calflora: https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=13013
- http://pza.sanbi.org/geranium-incanum
- https://garden.org/plants/view/112385/Carpet-Geranium-Geranium-incanum/
iNaturalist:
** https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/566720-Geranium-incanum
** https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/geranium-incanum-carpet-geranium
** https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/geraniums-cranesbills-california
