Geranium Robertianum Herb Robert Flower Plant
HERB-ROBERT
Some wild plants are thoroughly welcome in a garden, and herb-robert is one of them. It grows as an annual or biennial and the seed that germinates in the autumn provides color for the garden in any winter that is not extremely cold. The handsome leaves are produced on red stems, which may grow up to 16 in tall. The pretty pink flowers, about V4 in wide, are borne from April until far into autumn. Actually, herb-robert has only one drawback: if the plant is bruised, it releases an unpleasant odor which gave it the name “Stinking Bob.” The plant self-seeds profusely, especially in places where vegetable matter decomposes in damp, partially shaded conditions and thus becomes more nutritive.
Geranium robertianum, (syn. Robertiella robertiana) commonly known as Herb Robert, or Red robin, is a common species of cranesbill in Europe, Asia, North America, and North Africa. It can grow at altitudes of up to 1,500 metres (4,921 ft). It grows as an annual or biennial plant, producing small, pink, five-petalledflowers (about 1 cm in diameter) from April until the autumn. The leaves are fern-like, and the stems often reddish; the leaves too turn red at the end of the flowering season. The plant has little root structure.
In Great Britain, Herb Robert is commonly found in hedgerows. It has been introduced into other temperate parts of the world, probably through its use as a garden plant; for example, it is found in the San Francisco Bay Area in California, while in the state of Washington, where it is known as Stinky Bob, it is regarded as a noxious weed; however in North America it is typically found below 100 metres (328 ft) in altitude.
In traditional herbalism, Herb Robert is used as a remedy for toothache and nosebleeds. An infusion made from the whole plant, minus the root, has been used for its diuretic and tonic effect and as a remedy for dysentery. It is also used on wounds for healing and to prevent scarring, having both an antiseptic and a styptic effect. Freshly picked leaves have an odour resembling burning tires when crushed, and if they are rubbed on the body the smell is said to repel mosquitoes.
