Flowers of the Alps

Meadow cranesbill

Geranium pratense

Photo taken on near Franz Senn Hütte, Subai Alps, at 1800m by Allan Hartley

This is a herbaceous perennial most commonly seen in chalky and well-drained areas. It is a hardy plant that can survive in temperatures as low as -20ºC. It grows up to 75mm tall and broad, forming a small bush. The hairy stems have leaf rosettes with 5-7 lobes. In bloom between June and August, the flowers have large petals which taper to a point and vary in colour from pale blue to purple blue with paler veins and a white stigma in the centre, with 10 stamen consisting of pale purple filaments and a dark purple anther. The seed pods look like birds' bills and this is what gives the flower its name. Traditionally, it was used as a cure to treat cholera, dysentery, diarrhoea, haemorrhoids and nosebleeds. It is attractive to butterflies and pollinating insects but particularly to bees. They in turn attract a large number of wild birds.

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