Native carrot, Austral Crane’s Bill
Geranium solanderi

Family: Geraniaceae

What it is like

A herb which keeps growing from year to year. It can lie along the ground or be slightly upright. It can be 40 cm high. The stems are coarsely hairy. They are 50 cm long and arise from a swollen taproot. They can root at the nodes. The leaves are 1-3 cm long and 2-5 cm across. They are divided into 5-10 lobes. Each lobe is again divided or toothed near the tip. The leaves at the base are larger. The flowers are pink and spreading. They are 1.5 cm across. There are 5 overlapping petals and the centre is more pale. They occur in pairs on slender stalks 5 cm long. The fruit is beaked and 2.5 cm long.

There are about 300-400 Geranium species. They are mostly temperate.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in open grassland. It grows in drier situations. It will grow on most soils except alkaline soils. It becomes a problem in permanently moist soils. Tasmania Herbarium.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, New Zealand (country/location of origin), Norfolk Island, Tasmania

How it is used for food

The root is pounded and eaten after roasting.

Edible parts

Tuber, root, leaves, flowers

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed, cuttings or division of stems with roots.

Its other names

Local names

Kawurn-kallumbarrant, Kullumkulkeetch, Matua-kumara, Terrat

Synonyms

Geranium pilosum;