Smallflower Geranium
Smallflower Geranium
Geranium pusillum L.
Geraniaceae (Geranium Family)
▲ seedling
▲ ▼ young plants
▲ ▼mature, flowering plant
▲ leaf comparison among annual geraniums: Carolina geranium (lower left), dovefoot geranium (top center), and smallflower geranium (right)
▲ flowers
▲ comparison between flowers of dovefoot geranium (right) and smallflower geranium (right)
▲ comparison between flowering stems of smallflower geranium (top) and dovefoot geranium (bottom)
▲ ▼ fruit
▲ comparison of wrinkled fruit of dovefoot geranium (left), with more hairy, but not wrinkled fruit of smallflower geranium (right)
Smallflower Geranium:
- similar to Carolina geranium, except leaves and plant smaller, less deeply lobed
- often densely branched, growing 3-15" tall and wide; can tolerate mowiing
- flowers very small: usually about 1/8" across and lavender to pale pink, with 5 un-notched or shallowly-notched petals, 5-8 stamens and pale stigma lobes
- the seed pods are hairy (need magnifying glass to see), compared to more wrinkled pods of dovefoot geranium
- flower size/color, stamen number and hairy seed pods distinguish it from dovefoot geranium
- increasing in southwest Missouri