Carolina geranium

Common Name:

geranium, Carolina

Scientific Name:

Geranium carolinianum

Family:

Geraniaceae

Lifecycle:

Annual

Features

Rosette-like annual plant. Leaves solitary arising from plant base, finely divided, palmate. Stem can be green to purple depending on fertility level with distinct forking of branches. Stems rough with stiff, hair-like appendages. Flowers small white, five petals. Fruit an elongated capsule up to 5 to 8 cm in length with a distinct sharp point.

Description

Alternate name, ‘crane’s bill’ due to elongated beak-like appendage of the seed pod. Common winter annual weed in the southeast. Not common in dense, closely mowed turf as it is not well adapted to mowing. Common more in ornamental beds and thin turf. Can be difficult to control with herbicides if well established, requiring repeat applications of phenoxy-type herbicides. However, high densities are only common in unimproved turfgrass.