This image shows the tiny flower of the Red Stem Stork’s Bill, Erodium cicutarium. It is a non-native wildflower that is found throughout most of the US. It belongs to the Geranium family, Geraniaceae; and along with henbit, it makes pink flowers early in the spring before the grass gets going. You can see in this picture the reddish flower stems and the hairiness of this plant’s stems and leaves. Two of the three flowers visible have set seed and dropped their petals.
In this image, you can see the seed pods produced by the flowers. From the length and shape of the pod, you can see why some folks called these Stork’s Bill, or Pin Clover.
Many folks call these guys weeds and spend lots of money to rid their lawn of them. I let them do their thing because they provide some color in an otherwise bland part of the year, and they feed the bugs and butterflies that are becoming active at this time. That said, they can become fairly large plants and can become problematic when in large numbers. I control mine with therapeutic mowing; that way, I get to enjoy their color, the nectar feeders get fed, and their remains become mulch for the grass. Everybody wins.
Leave a Reply