Erodium botrys
Mediterranean Stork's-bill
Overview
Erodium botrys is a winter annual in the geranium family, forming a low rosette that sends up sprawling flower stems 6-24 inches (15-60 cm) long. The leaves are oblong, 1-6 inches (2.5-15 cm) long, lobed to deeply divided, and covered in soft hairs. Flowers are 0.4-0.6 inch (10-15 mm) across, with five pink to purple petals, opening a few at a time from spring into early summer. Each flower is followed by a long, beaked fruit 1.5-4 inches (4-10 cm) long that splits into segments; each seed segment has a spirally coiling tail that drills the seed into the soil as humidity changes. It grows in disturbed ground, grassland, pastures, roadsides, and open fields, mainly on dry, sunny sites. Native to the Mediterranean region, it is widely naturalized in California and other parts of western North America, where it behaves as a weed of rangeland and disturbed soil. It completes its life cycle by early summer and dies, leaving dry seed stalks. Dense stands compete with native annuals for spring moisture and space.
Native Range
Native to the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent parts of southern Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. It is widely naturalized in California and other Mediterranean-climate regions, where it is treated as a non-native weed.Suggested Uses
Not planted ornamentally and generally managed as a weed in rangeland and disturbed ground. It appears spontaneously in pastures, fallow fields, and roadsides. It supplies early grazing forage in some rangeland settings before the seed beaks harden.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height6" - 2'
Width/Spread8" - 1'6"
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
pink to purpleFoliage Description
green, soft-hairyGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Water & Climate
Water Needs
Drought Tolerance
Drought tolerant when established
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows readily as a winter annual from seed germinating with autumn rains. It needs full sun and tolerates poor, dry, compacted soils typical of disturbed sites. No watering or fertilizer is needed once seedlings establish, and the plant completes its cycle on natural winter and spring rainfall. Plants self-sow aggressively, and the coiling seed beaks bury seed in the soil. In gardens and rangeland it can spread quickly into open ground. Removal before seed set limits its persistence.Pruning
No pruning is required. Plants can be removed entirely before seed set to reduce spread. Dead stems dry and break down after the plant completes its cycle.✓ Toxicity
Non-toxicPlanting Guide
Planting Methods & Timing
Planting Method
direct sow
Direct Sow Timing
autumn
Days to Maturity
90–150 days
Plant Spacing
8 inches