Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Geraniaceae

Genus:

Geranium

Species:

Geranium richardsonii

USDA Symbol:

GERI

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

80 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul,aug

Bloom Colors:

white, pink

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Reported Fauna Sightings

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from rootstock following fire; commonly found in montane meadows with periodic fire regimes.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Prefers habitats near streams or moist meadows

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Cold stratification improves germination rates. Seeds may germinate erratically over several weeks.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI