Geranium bicknellii
Bicknell's cranesbill
(c) Dustin Snider, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Geraniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Geranium bicknellii (Bicknell's cranesbill) is a native California herb in the Geraniaceae family, recognized by long beak tip and deeply divided leaves.
Bicknell's cranesbill is a California native annual found in the Klamath Ranges and northern Southern California coastal areas in open, sunny to shaded woodland and conifer forest at elevations of 600 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from January to August, this plant produces pale purple flowers about 4 to 6 millimeters long with slightly notched petals. Growing with decumbent to erect stems 10 to 60 centimeters tall and covered in short, stiff hairs, it has a distinctive spreading growth habit. Its leaves are intricately divided nearly to the base, with 5 to 7 wedge-shaped segments spanning 2 to 7 centimeters wide. The distinctive fruit features a narrow beak 1.5 to 2.1 centimeters long, with smooth mericarp segments and finely pitted seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; distinguished by long beak tip and deeply divided leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, sunny to shaded sites, woodland, conifer forest
Elevation: 600-1500 m
California counties: El Dorado, Los Angeles, Shasta, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Mendocino, Santa Cruz, Marin, Monterey, Del Norte, San Benito, Yolo
Outside California: to British Columbia, northeastern North America, alien in Venezuela
Bloom period
Geranium bicknellii blooms Jan-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Erodium: Geranium leaves are palmately divided like spread fingers; Erodium leaves are pinnately divided like a feather.; vs Pelargonium: Geranium is herbaceous with symmetrical flowers; Pelargonium is shrubby with asymmetrical flowers.; vs Sidalcea: Geranium has deeply palm-divided leaves; Sidalcea has shallowly palmately-lobed leaves and stamens fused in a column.; vs Bowlesia: Geranium has deeply divided leaves and pink flowers; Bowlesia has shallowly lobed leaves and tiny white umbel flowers.; vs Malva: Geranium has deeply palm-divided leaves with narrow segments; Malva has shallowly palmately-lobed leaves and fused stamens.
Frequently asked questions
Is Geranium bicknellii native to California?
Yes. Geranium bicknellii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Geranium bicknellii bloom?
Geranium bicknellii blooms Jan-Aug.
Where in California does Geranium bicknellii grow?
Geranium bicknellii occurs in El Dorado, Los Angeles, Shasta, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Mendocino, Santa Cruz, Marin and other counties, at elevations of 600-1500 m.
What plant family does Geranium bicknellii belong to?
Geranium bicknellii is in the Geraniaceae family, genus Geranium.
What habitat does Geranium bicknellii grow in?
Geranium bicknellii grows in Open, sunny to shaded sites, woodland, conifer forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.