Storksbill geranium, Red-stemmed filaree, Alfilaria
| Botanical Name | Erodium cicutarium |
| Common Name | Storksbill geranium, Red-stemmed filaree, Alfilaria |
| Family | Geraniaceae - Geranium |
| Description | This annual begins as a dense basal rosette. It usually has reddish, branched stems lying on the ground with small, fern-like leaves. Its common name refers to the long, pointed seeds that resemble a stork’s beak. They usually point straight up and are 1” – 2 ½” long. This beaked fruit splits at maturity into 5, one-seeded sections. |
| Mature Size | Usually 1” high. Branches spread to 20”. |
| Bloom | In April and May, small, rose-pink flowers resembling its relative the geranium appear. They are in loose clusters and each flower has 5 petals, 5 -10 stamens and a pistil with 5 parts. It is among the first wildflowers to appear in the spring. |
| Interesting Facts | This plant is found throughout the world. It was probably introduced into the Southwest by the Spanish. |
| Traditional and Medicinal Uses | Before flowering, the young, tender leaves have been eaten raw in salads and cooked as a potherb. It’s a good early spring forage plant for all classes of livestock, as well as deer. A tea made from the root and leaves has been used as a diuretic, for rheumatism and for gout. It is also a traditional afterbirth remedy in New Mexico. |
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Photo by Janice Tucker for SFBG
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Photo by Janice Tucker for SFBG
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