Flower profile
Dove's-foot crane's-bill
Geranium molle
Dove's-foot crane's-bill is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. In Delaware it's most often seen in bloom in March–June.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Delaware
Quick look
Geranium molle, the dove's-foot crane's-bill or dovesfoot geranium, is an annual herbaceous plant of the family Geraniaceae.
- It belongs to the Geraniaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual, biennial, perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 34 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as not native to Delaware. NatureServe
- In Delaware, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–June. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 189 research-grade sightings of it in Delaware, ranking #75 among the 110 flowers on our Delaware list. iNaturalist
Dove's-foot crane's-bill gift ideas
Handmade dove's-foot crane's-bill gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Dove's-foot crane's-bill art print
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Dove's-foot crane's-bill greeting card
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Dove's-foot crane's-bill mug
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Dove's-foot crane's-bill earrings
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Dove's-foot crane's-bill embroidery pattern
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Dove's-foot crane's-bill sticker
When does it bloom?
In Delaware, most flowering sightings come in March–June.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. NatureServe
- Delaware
- Not listed Not on Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Delaware. DE rare plants 2024
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records dove's-foot crane's-bill in 34 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.
More Delaware flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile GEMO.
- iNaturalist, Geranium molle: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Geranium molle (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Delaware: Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list).
- Delaware: Delaware Invasive Plant List (3 Del. Admin. Code § 806-3.0).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Geranium molle (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Elizabeth Green via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.