Carolina crane's-bill (Geranium carolinianum) is in the Geranium family family (Geraniaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 2,097 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Nationally it blooms mainly from March to May, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Carolina crane's-bill: observations by month (U.S.)
About Carolina crane's-bill
Geranium carolinianum is a species of geranium known by the common name Carolina crane's-bill, or Carolina geranium. It is native to North America, where it is widespread and grows in many types of habitat. There are two varieties; Geranium carolinianum var. carolinianum and the Geranium carolinianum var. sphaerospermum. This is a summer or winter annual herb. It can be considered invasive depending on region, where found in United States they are seen as native.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Carolina crane's-bill by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 609 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Georgia | 141 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Florida | 138 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Virginia | 129 | May | Apr–May |
| California | 126 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Mississippi | 117 | March | Feb–Apr |
| Kentucky | 110 | May | Apr–May |
| North Carolina | 106 | April | Apr–May |
| Alabama | 92 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Tennessee | 74 | April | Apr–May |
| Louisiana | 67 | March | Feb–Apr |
| Maryland | 62 | May | May–May |
| New York | 58 | May | May–Jun |
| South Carolina | 45 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Arkansas | 41 | April | Apr–May |
| Missouri | 32 | May | May–May |
| New Jersey | 28 | May | May–May |
| Ohio | 26 | May | May–Jun |
| Pennsylvania | 21 | May | May–Jun |
| Illinois | 15 | May | May–Jun |
| Oklahoma | 13 | April | Apr–May |
| Delaware | 11 | May | May–May |
| District of Columbia | 9 | May | Apr–May |
| Kansas | 6 | May | May–May |
| West Virginia | 6 | April | Apr–Jun |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (Geranium family)
Redstem Stork's-bill
Wild Geranium
Mediterranean Stork's-bill
Herb Robert
Musk Stork's-Bill
Cut-leaved crane's-bill
Dove's-foot crane's-bill
Little-Robin
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Carolina crane's-bill?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from March to May.
Where is Carolina crane's-bill most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, Georgia, Florida.