

New Zealand Geranium Geranium retrorsum
New Zealand Geranium is an introduced perennial herb, found in Hawaii and the lower 48 states.
More about this plant
Geranium retrorsum is a species of Geranium known by the common name New Zealand geranium in the United States and common cranesbill in Australia. It is native to Australia and New Zealand but can be found on other continents as an introduced species which is often a noxious weed as well. This is a perennial herb growing generally erect to a maximum height approaching half a meter. The stems are green to reddish and have stiff hairs. The leaves are a few centimeters wide and divided into several segments which are further divided into small lobes. The small flowers are fuchsia to purple in color. The fruit has a straight style about a centimeter in length. Wikipedia →
New Zealand Geranium is flagged invasive in the U.S. These natives fill a similar niche — same growth habit, bloom season, height, and region — so you keep the look and feed local wildlife instead of spreading a problem.
Growing & care
USDA PLANTS · TRY- Hardiness
- ≥ zone 9 derived from its U.S. range
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Broadleaf
Wildlife & pollinators
How pollinator value is scored →❧ Caterpillar hosts ~24 caterpillar species
Geranium supports ~24 caterpillar species.
Native butterfly & moth caterpillars are the base of the terrestrial food web — most songbirds rear their young almost entirely on them. As a host for native Lepidoptera this is a moderate genus.
Recorded feeding on Geranium in North America, including:
+ 8 more species → ↑ show fewer
✦ Bees specialist-bee host
Specialist native bees depend on it.
Some native bees are pollen specialists (oligolectic) — they raise young only on pollen from particular plant genera. Geranium is a recorded specialist-bee host, so losing it can mean losing the bee that relies on it.
Sources for this entry (14) Open & cited
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