Today we are going to talk about a genus of plants that has species with a large number of infraspecific variants. Many of these plants are common due to their nitrophilic character. It’s about the genre Erode. It is a genus that belongs to the Geraniaceae family and includes 359 described species, although only 128 are accepted.
In this article we are going to tell you all the characteristics and some details of the main species of the genus Erodium.
Key features
Of the genus Erodium it is composed of herbaceous, perennial and annual plants with different characteristics. One of the characteristics that they keep in common with the rest of the plants is that they have palmate leaves and are always provided with stipules. They usually have a solitary flower of the heteroclamide type that has 5 free pieces in each whorl. They are plants that develop easily and do not need much care.
The flowers of the plants have 10 stamens of which half are sterile. Thanks to its great style fusing the gynoecium integrated with 5 carpels, it has a persistent peak in fruiting. This causes it to have vernacular names for pins, pins, or other similar names.
Main species
Erodium malacoides
We are going to review the main characteristics of some of the best known species within the genus Erodium. The first of it is the Erodium malacoides. It is an annual plant, which can rarely be biannual and which is normally up to 70 centimeters tall. Its stems vary from prostrate to direct and are usually covered with short hairs and glands. They are plants whose leaves are ovate and can sometimes be lobed, crenate or toothed. They have membranous triangular stipules.
As for its flowers, they are actinomorphic and many of them have radial symmetry. They have five pieces formed by petals of a purplish pink color and with purple anthers. Its fruit is a schizocarp that opens into five pieces with edges.
They are plants easy to care for and found in the Mediterranean. They usually grow in nitrophilic grasslands where there are orchards nearby. It also takes place in traditional home and garden settings. One of the areas of Spain where we can find these plants the most is in Murcia. It needs a large amount of nitrogen in the soil to survive. This means that it is found in areas where the soil is artificially fertilized with nitrogen fertilizers.
It is one of the most common herbs that can be found naturally in small gardens and wet grasslands. Its flowering takes place from mid-winter and it usually coexists with other plants such as geranium mole. It is known by the common name of brads and there are also other plants of the genus Erodium that They are located in the Murcia region. You have to know how to differentiate the characteristics of these plants in order to select and classify them.
Hemlock erosion
It is a type of annual herb native to temperate regions of Europe. It can be easily found in sandy soils near the sea, but also in cultivated areas and in the unemployed where you usually call frequently. It is known by the popular name of forks. It is also known by the name of stork’s beak, brads, and common brad.
It can grow to heights of 50-60 centimeters and the stems are covered by whitish villi. Its leaves are covered by pinnate leaflets and are green. The flowers bloom from spring to autumn and are grouped in umbels of up to twelve. These flowers are usually pink, lilac or white.
It is well known since it has medicinal properties such as for treatment of angina, alopecia and as a diuretic. It is also used for ornamental use in the decoration of gardens and urban parks. We are going to analyze what your main cares are:
- Location: it is a plant that must be outside and it must be guaranteed that it is in direct sunlight all day.
- Plantation: We will use a pot in which we will put universal substrate so that it has good drainage. It must be mixed with 30% perlite. If we place it in the garden it is not demanding at all, although it is necessary to guarantee the good drainage of the soil. And it does not support waterlogging.
- Irrigation: it has to be moderate to little, although it depends on the growing conditions. When the weather is warmer it will be necessary to water more frequently. If the area where we live has abundant rainfall, we can easily forget about it.
- Subscriber: since they are nitrophilic plants they need a large amount of nitrogen. Therefore, it is advisable to pay using organic products such as guano or worm castings. The most recommended compost season is from early spring to autumn.
- Rusticity: It is a plant that does not resist cold or frost, so you have to be careful with low temperatures.
Erodius Muscatum
This plant is native to southern and western Europe where it grows in cultivated land and in wasteland areas. It can be found in sandy soils near the sea, although it grows easily in pots and planters. Its life cycle is annual or biannual. They have flowers that appear from spring to summer and usually grow to a height of two feet.
We are going to analyze which are the main cares:
- Location: needs sun exposure throughout the day.
- Earth: it is not demanding in terms of soil, but it is advisable to mix universal substrate with 20% perlite.
- Irrigation: it should be a watering very from time to time, ensuring that the substrate does not dry out completely.
- Subscriber: since it is a nitrophilic plant, organic fertilizers such as guano or mulch are needed.
stork erosion
It is the last plant that we will analyze of the genus Erodium. It usually has a height that reaches 50 cm. Its leaves are pinnate and barely triangular, unlike the previous ones. It usually appears in fields, gardens, roadsides, port garbage dumps, patios and landfills. These are places where there is a large amount of nitrogen in the soil due to excess organic matter. Its flowering takes place between June and September.
It is known by the name of shepherd’s needle and is an annual plant with soft and planned hairs. Its flowers are pointed and have blunt bracts with short fringes.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the main species of the genus Erodium.
