Spotted Geranium

Geranium maculatum

Pollinator Value

🐛 Larval Host: Orgyia leucostigma, Apamea devastator, Spargania magnoliata, Megalographa biloba, Udea rubigalis, Chrysodeixis includens, Lacinipolia lorea, Trichoplusia ni, Pyrrhia cilisca, Heliothis virescens, Pyrrhia exprimens, Amphipyra tragopoginis, Spodoptera frugiperda, Helicoverpa zea
S13+S15 14 verified Eastern NA
🐝 Specialist Bee Host: Andrena distans
S17 Andrena (Ptilandrena) distans, Geranium oligolege; S10 confirmed specialist pollinator
❄️ Winter Food Source: Seeds consumed by Mourning Dove, Northern Bobwhite (60% occurrence in diet), Dark-eyed Junco, Song Sparrow, and White-crowned Sparrow. The schizocarp fruit dehisces explosively but some seed persists on the ground through winter, providing forage for ground-feeding birds.
S57 S4 S10

Proximity Score: 1
Native Status: ✅ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: S
CEC Eco-Regions: 8 – Eastern Temperate Forests, 8.1 – Mixed Wood Plains, 8.1.1 – Eastern Great Lakes and Hudson Lowlands
Rarity Notes: Ranked S2 (Imperiled) in Quebec by NatureServe, indicating very few populations in the province. Secure (S5) in Ontario. Not listed under SARA. Nationally ranked N5 in both Canada and the United States with a global rank of G5. Quebec populations are at the northeastern limit of the species' range.
S22 S26
Rarity Ranks: QC S2 – Imperiled, ON S5 – Secure
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: A characteristic forb of rich mesic deciduous forests, typically growing in moist loamy soils under sugar maple-oak canopies. Found in floodplain and upland woodlands, savannas, and meadow edges. In Quebec it is ranked S2 (Imperiled), occurring primarily in the St. Lawrence Lowlands. Associates with Acer rubrum, Quercus alba, Prunus serotina, and Carex pensylvanica.
S10 S7 S22 S4

Roles: Fortress/Barrier, Insectary Plant, Living Mulch, Pollinator Attractor
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)] | Insectary Plant: S64 NPPBI 'beneficial insects' flag] | Living Mulch: S10 keyword match: forms? colon(?:y|ies) (supporting signal only)] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [HIGH]: S64 Xerces listed (source-classified)]
Notes: Functions as a woodland ground cover when planted 45 cm apart. Tolerates juglone from black walnut. The rhizomatous habit fills gaps in the herb layer beneath deciduous canopy, stabilizing soil and suppressing weeds. Suitable for rain gardens, right-of-way plantings, and container gardens.
S29 S3

Category: Astringent, Antidiarrheal, Antiseptic, Styptic, Diuretic, Tonic, Analgesic
S28 S29 S36
Notes: Extensively used by Cherokee, Iroquois, Chippewa, Meskwaki, and Menominee peoples. Root is the primary medicinal part, containing 10-28% tannins and gallic acid. Used as a powerful astringent for diarrhea, dysentery, and hemorrhage. Decoctions applied to wounds, oral sores, and hemorrhoids. Roots harvested in autumn at peak tannin content. Listed in Health Canada NHPID as a homeopathic substance.
S28 S29 S31 S36

❌ Not Edible

Foraging Notes: No edible uses documented. PFAF rates edibility 0 out of 5. Moerman's ethnobotanical database records 32 uses, all medicinal — none in food categories. The roots are extremely high in tannins (10-28%), rendering them unpalatable.
S29 S28 S31