Purple cluster geranium facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Purple cluster geranium |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Geranium
|
| Species: |
caespitosum
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
The purple cluster geranium or pineywoods geranium (scientific name: Geranium caespitosum) is a type of plant that grows back every year. It is found naturally in the western United States and northern Mexico. You can find it in states like Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.
This plant has pretty purple to red flowers. Each flower has five parts called stamens. The leaves look a bit like a hand with fingers spread out. The plant grows best in moist places, such as under tall pine trees or in rocky valleys called canyons.
Contents
Traditional Uses of the Geranium
Native American tribes have used the purple cluster geranium for different purposes.
Uses by the Gosiute Tribe
The Gosiute people used this plant as a medicine. They would make a special tea from the root to help with stomach problems like diarrhea. They also used it to tighten body tissues, which is called an astringent.
Uses by the Keres People
The Keres tribe had their own uses for the plant. They would crush the roots into a paste. This paste was then used to treat sores on the skin. They also fed the whole plant to turkeys.
Types of Purple Cluster Geranium
There are four main types, or varieties, of Geranium caespitosum. Each variety has its own common name:
- G. c. var. caespitosum – This one is called the pineywoods geranium.
- G. c. var. eremophilum – This type is known as the purple cluster geranium.
- G. c. var. fremontii – This variety is called Fremont's geranium.
- G. c. var. parryi – This last type is known as Parry's geranium.
All four varieties can be found in Arizona and New Mexico. However, the purple cluster geranium variety is only found in these two states. The other varieties, like pineywoods, Fremont's, and Parry's, are also found in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. The pineywoods variety also grows in Nevada and Texas.
Image Gallery
-
A red individual flower.
-
A lilac individual flower.
-
The foliage, or leaves, of the plant.
-
A close-up of the fremontii variety.
-
Another view of the fremontii variety.
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Geranium caespitosum para niños
