Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District

 Wild Geranium (Spotted Geranium)
Geranium maculatum   [C-value 4]
Geranium family (Geraniaceae)
Blooms April - June

The beautiful native Wild Geranium is common in our area. It prefers light shade to partial sunlight, moist to slightly dry conditions, and rich loamy soil. Habitats include open woodlands, savannas and meadows in wooded areas. This perennial is 1-2½' tall with a loose cluster of basal leaves and hairy branching flower stems coming directly from the rootstock. On the lower portion of each flowering stem, there is a pair of opposite leaves, palmately cleft with 5 coarsely toothed deep lobes. The pale purplish pink 5-petal blooms are 1–1¼" across and have fine veins radiating across petal surfaces that function as nectar guides.

Wild geranium at Lyon Forest Preserve May 26, 2015

Wild Geranium at Hoover Forest Preserve May 14, 2015

 A lovely colony of Wild Geraniums at Hoover Forest Preserve May 14, 2015

Native Americans used the roots of this plant in several ways to treat mouth sores, sore gums, sore throat, diarrhea and venereal disease. Reminder: see our Do Not Disturb Notice.

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