Herb Robert or Bloody cranesbill: how to tell them apart?
Herb Robert and Bloody cranesbill look alike and are often mixed up. Here is how to tell them apart, feature by feature, with their photos and the details to look for.
⚡ The quick answer
Herb Robert
Geranium robertianum
Bloody cranesbill
Geranium sanguineum
Herb Robert is smaller, with an often reddish stem, three-lobed leaves and an unpleasant smell when crushed, whereas bloody cranesbill has large, solitary bright pink flowers and leaves deeply cut into fine strips.
🍃 Leaves
Deeply cut, often tinged with red, strong smell when crushed
Deeply cut into fine strips, bright green, turning red in autumn
🌸 Flowers
Small, pink, five petals
Large flowers with 5 bright magenta-pink petals
🍎 Fruits
Capsule shaped like a long beak that propels the seeds
Small fruits shaped like an elongated beak
🪵 Bark
Reddish, slightly hairy stem
Low, dense, spreading clump
📏 Size
15 to 40 cm tall
20 to 40 cm tall
🗺️ Habitat
Woodland, walls, rubble, shady places
Banks, rock gardens, edgings, free-draining soils
⚠️ Toxicity
No known toxicity; strong, unpleasant smell when the leaves are crushed.
No known toxicity.
🔎 And from the Bloody cranesbill side
Herb Robert is smaller, with an often reddish stem, three-lobed leaves and an unpleasant smell when crushed, whereas bloody cranesbill has large, solitary bright pink flowers and leaves deeply cut into fine strips.
🌿 Go further
Want to practise spotting these details on real photos? Floraneo offers profiles and quizzes for dozens of look-alike species.
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.