The flowering plant wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) is nice to grow thanks to its pretty flowers and amiable structure. However, identification becomes problematic, as with many plants, there are those that appear similar to wild geraniums.
In this guide, we’ll look at some of these plants with the wild geranium look alike and provide identifying characteristics, care, and functions of each plant as applicable. If you have been wondering wild geranium look alike plants, this article is for you. A detailed analysis of common plants that resemble the wild geranium explains everything you need.
Understanding Wild Geraniums
Before jumping into the numerous look-alikes described above, one thing has to be clear – the wild geranium itself has to be well known.
Wild Geranium Look Alikes Scientific Name
Commonly known as the Geranium Maculatum, the Wild Geranium Look Alikes plant is a rhizome digging perennial plant species found in North America. They do well in woods and shady places and that is when they mostly bloom their beautiful pinkish to purplish flowers in the late spring and early summer seasons.
Wild Geranium Identification
Typically it has been seen that Wild Geranium Look Alikes produce five petaled flowers of any color ranging from pale pink to deep purple. The petals form flowers which are about 1 foot to 1.5 foot wide and drapes at the end of slender hairy branches. The leaves produced in the plant are palmate with deep lobes and each lobe is incised more, hence the leaves tend to be slightly to very feathery in nature.
Wild Geranium Uses
Wild geraniums are known from ancient times to have been used for various ailments. Tannins are contained in the roots of the flowers and are also known to have been used as a natural medicine for a range of illnesses including diarrhea and sore throats. In addition, wild geraniums are appreciated for their aesthetic features and are often included in shade garden designs.
Wild Geranium Benefits for Skin
Wild geraniums have a reputation for healing properties on the skin. The plant’s astringent qualities help relieve minor skin problems such as irritation, wounds, or inflammation. Most of such products contain wild geranium extracts in them for beautifying the skin.
Common Wild Geranium Look-Alikes
There are various plants that grow wild which have a very striking similarity with wild geraniums and thus can easily be mistaken for geraniums. In the following paragraphs, we examine the most common wild geranium look alikes and their distinguishing features.
Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)
Identification:
Her polygala is no stranger to the wild geranium’s closet relations, which further makes this plant among the hardest to identify. The same 5 petaled features can be found in its flowers although these are very small or less than an inch in diameter. The plant flowers are commonly bright pink and the plant releases a pungent smell when the leaves are mashed.
Leaves:
The leaves of Herb Robert are similarly much more dissected, astho .don santhose its silabama of berries, her straight part is somewhat smaller and more intricate than the leaves of wild geranium. During the summer and spring foliage is green but many plants usually have an active reddish hue to them during autumn.
Care:
This species exhibits a high level of environmental and soil type tolerance, though it prefers moist, well-drained, and mildly acidic soils. It does well in direct light or in the shade that makes it a good landscaping plant in many environments.
Uses:
Traditionally, herbal plants that include Herb Robert have also been used as medicine, particularly as a source of astringent and antiinflammatory agents. It has also been used as a companion plant because it is thought to prevent certain pests in the garden.
Cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum)
Identification:
Cranesbill is a close cousin to the wild geranium and possesses similar shape of flowers and foliage. Cranesbill flowers are typically of a deeper magenta color as well as slightly larger in size than the wild geranium flowers. The habit of the plant is also prostrate form and tend to create dense carpet like structures.
Leaves:
Cranesbill leaves are also deeply dissected and are broad like that of a wild geranium but are often a dark green ochre and leathery. The leaves may develop red colors in the cold season.
Care:
Cranesbill is not temperamental with its environment once it’s established, although it prefers good drainage and bright to partial shade. Once it’s roots deep within the soil it’s drought tolerant and is most often applied in rockery or a substitute ground cover.
Uses:
The flowers of the Cranesbill are well integrated in gardens as the flowers are not labor intensive and are beautiful. Comparatively to wild geraniums, destructions are fewer in nature but the cranesbill do have some astringent properties.
Meadow Crane’s-Bill (Geranium pratense)
Identification:
Meadow cranes-bill often comes up in terms of its flower structure that is all too similar to that of wild geranium. The flowers are a deep blue to violet color usually so such bouquets are easily distinguished from the wild geranium first purple or pink flowers.
Leaves:
The leaves of meadow crane’s-bill bear some resemblance to the wild geranium ones since they are also deeply palmate but more usually they are a bit larger and more finely divided.
Care:
This plant commonly known as meadow crane’s-bill grows in moist well-drained soil and prefers full sun to partial shade. It is often used in cottage gardens and more natural style plantings.
Uses:
Primarily, meadow cranes-bill is grown for ornamentation. The bright blue blossom adds an interesting feature to the flower beds as well as the flower is attractive to several types of pollinators including the bees and butterflies.
Wood Crane’s-Bill (Geranium sylvaticum)
Identification:
One more species of Geranium which is known as Wood crane’s-bill bears a close resemblance to the Wild Geranium Look Alikes. The flowers in most cases are a pale blue or lilac purples of about the same size and shape as that of wild geranium’s flowers.
Leaves:
The leaves of wood crane’s-bill are not as finely divided as those of wild geraniums and are usually more oval in shape.
Care:
Wood crane’s-bill likes at least light shade and moist but well-drained soil, which is clearly a good feature in woodland gardens. Its level of requirements is reasonable hence it can accommodate some sites with other soil types.
Uses:
Though not as well known than this wild geranium, wood crane’s-bill is utilized in some form for therapeutic action principally varying astringent. Additionally, this plant is useful once more in that it grows in places where other plants do not endure to grow.
Bloody Crane’s-Bill (Geranium sanguineum var. striatum)
Identification:
Bloody crane’s-bill, also known as wild geranium, is a type of cranebill which gets its name due to its leaves and manner of growth. The flowers of bloody crane’s-bill are usually satiny pink with dark red venation.
Leaves:
The leaves are lobed and cut like almost all geraniums but tend to be shorter in height. These leaves may also change color in the fall to a deep red making them even more ornamental.
Care:
Bloody crane’s-bill doesn’t need special care. It can be grown even in maximum direct sunshine and in partial shade as well. It grows best in well-drained soils and is quite resistant to dry conditions once it gets established.
Uses:
Bloody crane’s-bill doesn’t need special care. It can be grown even in maximum direct sunshine and in partial shade as well. It grows best in well-drained soils and is quite resistant to dry conditions once it gets established.
How to Distinguish Wild Geranium from Look-Alikes
In order to make precise identifications, it is important to pay attention to special characteristic features since Wild Geranium Look Alikes bears resemblance to other plants.
Flower Color and Size
Examining the flowers is one of the least inefficient approaches of distinguishing obvious wild geranium lookalikes as those of the further plants. Wild geranium plants are said to possess flowers that are pink to purple in color but in look alike plants like the cranesbill and meadow crane’s-bill, these flowers are blue, violet and magenta more of the time.
Leaf Shape and Texture
Wild geraniums tend to bear deeply lobed leaves, which are also soft and hairy. Furthermore, plants that resemble wild geranium, such as the cranesbill, may tend to have leathery leaves or completely different patterns of lobe lemniscate. Following the above observation aids in making the right identification.
Growth Habit
Wild geraniums are usually found growing in a clumpy manner, however, some of the fugitive species such as herb Robert tend to grow in a sprawled manner or tend matted. Knowing the growth forms of these plants may give some additional nails when one is trying to differentiate between them.
Seasonal Changes
Some look alikes, for example bloody crane’s-bill may have their summer foliage changing color with some parts turning red during the autumn season. As opposed to the above scenario, the leaves of wild geranium do not change from green even at the warm growing season.
Caring for Wild Geranium and Its Look-Alikes
Although Wild Geranium Look Alikes and their look-alikes require some elements for their care, the knowledge of the distinctive requirements of each plant is important for their successful growing.
Soil and Watering
With soil that is well drained and slightly acid to neutral, wild geraniums grow well. They prefer regular water supply but can endure dry drought relatively well when once grown. Look-alikes including cranesbill and herb Robert do well with similar soils but vary a bit on water requirements. For instance meadow crane’s-bill despite being a look alike loves wetter soils where as herb Robert is drought resisting weeds.
Light Requirements
Partial shade is the one condition that wild geraniums respond very well to their growth and hence they can be grown successfully especially in woodland gardens. Most look-alikes such as cranesbill and wood crane’s-bill also do well with light shade conditions. Some varieties however like bloody cranesbill have no problem with sunshine even where it is cold.
Pruning and Maintenance
Practically, Wild Geranium Look Alikes are easy to grow and do not require much pruning. By deadheading in flower plants, it is then encouraged to bloom further and helps avoid seeding people do not want. Look alikes by in large are on the same page in terms of maintenance practices, once in a while pruning is done for look alikes for shaping and even growing purposes.
Propagation
Wild geraniums can be propagated from seeds or from their division. Division is the most reliable method and is usually performed in spring or fall. Look-alikes like cranesbill can also use division as a means of propagation but herb Robert can only do this through the use of seeds.
Wild Geranium Look Alikes Recipes and Uses
There are few instances of Wild Geranium Look Alikes being incorporated into a delicacy, but its near relatives, especially herb Robert, have some ethnobotanical uses.
Herb Robert Tea
Another traditional herbalism is making a medicinal tea out of herb Robert that can decrease inflammation and act as an astringent. The infusion can be made with fresh or dried herb or leaves by soaking the plant material in water for 10-15 minutes. Generally, people take it to manage problems in digestion or apply it to skin rashes for its healing effect.
Wild Geranium Tincture
Wild geranium roots can be prepared in form of tincture and successfully used as home medicine for treating sore throat, diarrhea and another number of diseases. The treatment of the roots entails harvesting them, cleaning them, and soaking them in alcohol for a few weeks to draw out the roots’ medicinal value.
Geranium-Infused Skincare
Wild geraniums and their extracts can also be beneficial in some home skincare management practices. A balm can be made by infusing wild geranium leaves and flowers into oil and this balm can be used on the skin to decrease inflammation and enhance healing.
How to Incorporate Wild Geranium Look Alikes into Your Garden
Choosing the Right Look-Alike for Your Garden
While picking up wild geranium look alike for your garden pay attention to the distinct planting habits of each of them, to fit that of your garden. For instance, Herb Robert is suitable for cultivation in a shade and forested area, where it decorates wildness with bright pink flowers and sprawling beauty. As a result, it is appropriate for wild or naturalistic gardens.
Companion Planting
Including true geraniums in your garden is not just about their beauty, but their beauty in relation to other plants as well. In the shade garden, Herb Robert and Wood Crane’s-Bill can be combined with ferns and hostas forming lush green understorey plants. A few astilbes added in here and there may break the mass of green quite delicately.
FAQs
1. What are the most common wild geranium look-alikes?
Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum), Cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum), Meadow Crane’s-Bill (Geranium pratense), and Wood Crane’s-Bill (Geranium sylvaticum) are the most widespread forms of wild geranium. These types of plants resemble wild geraniums in many ways including the flowers and the patterns of the foliage but each of them possess features that differentiate them from others.
2. How can I distinguish wild geraniums from their look-alikes?
Key differences in leaf shape, flower color and growth habit can help one distinguish the wild geraniums from their close substituted plants. For instance, the wild geraniums have their leaves deeply lobed accompanied with blue pink and lavender colors, while their look alike, Herb Robert, has her leaves more texturally divided and pink. Also, the wild geraniums are more erect compared to the sprawling habit of some substitute plants.
3. Are wild geranium look-alikes invasive?
Several other wild geranium substitutes, like Herb Robert, can be invasive even in certain areas. With that in mind, it would be wise first to examine the particular plant that you are planning to use and investigate if it is known to be a rampant blocker in your place. Complete management of the garden, including constant cutting and diagnosing of the invasive plants can minimize their population.
4. Can I use wild geranium look-alikes for medicinal purposes?
Many wild geranium look-alikes have been practiced in the past and even these days in herbalism. For example, Herb Robert has been used externally for its astringent and anti-inflammatory actions for treating skin lesions. In fact, it is advisable to have a good knowledge of the plant and the herbalist or health professional must be consulted even when traditional treatments are employed.
5. What are the benefits of using wild geranium look-alikes in my garden?
Wild geranium look-alikes help in the enhancement of the garden by being ornamental, serving ecological purposes and being easy to take care of even after planting. Such plants will beautify the site with their colorful blooms, delightful color foliage, draw pollinators like bees and butterflies, and need little attention after they are in place. Also, some ‘look-alikes’ are useful in that they are medicinal herbs for natural treatment.
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Final Words
Wild Geranium Look Alikes are beautiful, versatile plants that bring color and charm to gardens, but they are often mistaken for other species. By understanding the key differences between wild geraniums and their look-alikes, gardeners can make informed decisions about plant identification and care. Whether you’re interested in cultivating these plants for their ornamental value, medicinal uses, or simply their beauty, this guide provides all the information you need to succeed.
For those passionate about gardening, recognizing the subtle differences between Wild Geranium Look Alikes and their look-alikes can lead to a deeper appreciation of the diverse world of plants. Happy gardening!