How do you recognise Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)?

Leaf

Douglas Goldman, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Herb Robert

Geranium robertianum L.

Family: Geraniaceae

15 to 40 cm tall

Woodland, walls, rubble, shady places

Flowering: April – October

Full sun

Part shade

Shade

Very hardy, to -20°C

❓ How do you recognise this plant?

Strong, unpleasant smell when crushed, and a stem that often turns completely red. 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

🌸 Flowers

Small, pink, five petals

🍎 Fruits

Capsule shaped like a long beak that propels the seeds

🪵 Bark

Reddish, slightly hairy stem

🗺️ Distribution

Europe, temperate Asia; very common in hedges, on walls and in shady places in France.

🐝 Value for pollinators

Small pink nectar-bearing flowers visited by small bees and hoverflies.

✂️ Horticultural uses

Little grown as an ornamental, self-seeds freely in woodland and rock gardens; foliage turning red in autumn.

⚠️ Possible toxicity

No known toxicity; strong, unpleasant smell when the leaves are crushed.

⚠️ Look-alike species

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.

🌿 Other Geraniaceae to discover

ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.

🌱 This database is constantly evolving — species and information are added and corrected regularly. Spotted a mistake? Report it below.