Herb-Robert

Common Name: Herb-Robert

Latin Name: Geranium robertianum

Family: Geraniaceae

Herb-Robert is related to wild crane’s-bills some of which are also featured in these pages and to household geraniums, also known as pelargoniums. The leaves of this species smell strongly which accounts for the plants other common name, stinking Bob. Some say the leaves smell of mice.

Herb-Robert is a common plant in the British Isles. Its pink flowers with orange or purple anthers can be seen flowering between April and September in woods, hedgerows, banks, limestone pavement, scree and maritime shingle. Another distinguishing feature is its stems and leaves which are often flushed with red.

In the Yorkshire Dales National Park it is a very common plant and may be seen in most habitats except moorland ones. In addition to the pink flowered form there is also a far less common white flowered form of this species which can also be seen in the Yorkshire Dales.