British Plants and Flowers – Herb Robert

Name – Herb Robert is also known as Red Robin Puck, Wren Flower, Granny-thread-the-needle, Hop-o'my-thumb, Bloodwort and Robin-i'-th'-hedge. The names Robert and Robin refer to the medieval folklore hero, Robin Goodfellow (or Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream) a household spirit who visited woodland houses. The plant has the botanical name Geranium robertianum, arising from the Greek ‘geranus’ meaning crane, so called because the seed-heads resemble crane’s beaks apparently.

Description - An attractive native wild flower with hairy, bright green leaves which are finely divided, and reddish-tinged stems, The deeply-lobed fern-like leaves turn a glowing red in the autumn

Origin - Herb Robert is a member of the Geranium family as is revealed by the bright pink flowers – and this makes it a food plant for many beneficial insects including bees and butterflies as well as long-tongued hoverflies and it will tolerate most soils in shade and semi shade. Deadhead regularly to promote further flowering. Grows to 4-10 ins. considered an invasive weed in parts of North America where it may have been introduced as a garden plant or for its medicinal properties. An infusion of the whole top of the plant has been used as a diuretic and a tonic; also as a remedy for dysentery, toothache and nosebleeds. It has antiseptic and styptic effects so can be used to treat wounds – it was a favourite treatment for shaving cuts in the seventeenth century, for example. The odour of the leaves when crushed is strongly antiseptic and the juice produced in this way can be rubbed on the body to repel mosquitoes and midges.

British plant herb robert photograph by Taz-Voll, used under a creative commons attribution licence

 

bluebell, comfrey, flax, foxglove, hawthorn, heartsease, heather, herb robert, holly, hollyhock, honeysuckle, hop, hornbeam, jacobs ladder, larkspur, oak, periwinkle, rowan, silver birch, snowdrop, tansy, vipers bugloss, wild strawberry, willow, yarrow

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