Fauna
Plant · GBIF taxon 2890668

Herb Robert

Geranium robertianum

Also known as Robert's Geranium, Red Robin, Stinking Bob, Fox Geranium

Herb Robert is a versatile woodland annual or biennial recognized by its delicate pink five-petaled flowers, reddish hairy stems, and deeply lobed leaves. When bruised, the foliage releases a pungent, musky scent that earned it traditional use as an insect repellent. Its elongated seed capsules use an explosive catapult mechanism to fling mature seeds several meters away from the parent plant.

WildflowerWoodlandAromatic
Herb Robert reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) Gilles San Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Gilles San Martin · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Autotrophic (Photosynthetic)
Predators
  • Slugs
  • Snails
  • Roe Deer
ThreatsLocally managed as an aggressive non-native weed, but globally secure
HabitatsDeciduous woodlands, hedgerows, limestone pavement, and rocky slopes
Life span1–2 years (annual or biennial)
Classification
  1. OrderGeraniales
  2. FamilyGeraniaceae
  3. GenusGeranium
  4. SpeciesGeranium robertianum
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Scent Detection: Crush a fallen leaf gently to experience its distinctive, pungent musk.
  • Seed Inspection: Examine the beak-like seed capsules in late summer to spot the spring mechanism.
Related species
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?

Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.

Checking your Fauna account…