Flower profile
Shining crane's-bill
Geranium lucidum
Shining crane's-bill (Geranium lucidum) is a flowering plant in the Geraniaceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–June across the U.S.
Shining crane's-bill is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. In Oregon it's most often seen in bloom in April–June.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Oregon
Quick look
Geranium lucidum, commonly known as shining cranesbill or shining geranium or shiny geranium, is a herbaceous annual plant of the genus Geranium. It is native to Europe, western Asia and North Africa. It has been introduced to North America as a garden plant and in places, particularly the Pacific Northwest, has become naturalised and is viewed as an invasive species and noxious weed.
- It belongs to the Geraniaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual, biennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 3 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as not native to Oregon. NatureServe
- In Oregon, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–June. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 4,784 research-grade sightings of it in Oregon, ranking #27 among the 184 flowers on our Oregon list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
In Oregon, most flowering sightings come in April–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
- Oregon
- Not listed Not on Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Oregon. OAR 603-073-0070
- 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 shining crane's-bill in 3 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
California, Oregon, Washington.
Oregon counties with USDA records: Benton, Clackamas, Lane, Linn, Marion, Polk, Washington, Yamhill.
Names, range and relatives
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 11 counties across 3 states; the most are in Oregon (8), Washington (2), California (1).
Other Geranium on Bloomipedia (8): Wild geranium, Herb robert, Carolina crane's-bill, Dove's-foot crane's-bill, Richardson's geranium, Sticky geranium, Pinewoods geranium, Woolly cranesbill.
More from the Geraniaceae family (11 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Redstem stork's-bill, Mediterranean stork's-bill, Musk stork's-bill.
More Oregon flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile GELU.
- iNaturalist, Geranium lucidum: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Geranium lucidum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Oregon: Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070).
- Oregon: Oregon noxious weed quarantine, A and B weeds (OAR 603-052-1200).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Geranium lucidum (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Sean Haight via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.