Another common name for this little tough guy is Stinky Bob. You have to be resilient to withstand the abuse that comes with a name like that…and this plant is very tough. I have seen them in my own backyard in full bloom, above the snow, in mid-January.
Herb Robert, Stinking Robert, Stinking Roger, Stinking Jenny, Crane’s Bill and Death Come Quickly are all names given this attractive woodland weed.
I’m not sure why folks think it stinks…Its odor reminds me of ginger. Give it your own sniff test and let me know what you think….
It’s not from here originally. Came from the east coast and has adapted very well. Although invasive, it is satisfyingly easy to remove since its root system is both shallow and loose in the soil.
The plant’s roots are a strong astringent. My grandmother kept roots of Wild Geranium in her herbarium. She would mush it up with her mortar and pestle and paste the resulting goo on my grandfather’s face to stop the bleeding from unfortunate straight razor cuts after a shaving mishap.
I like the spunkiness of this plant. They grow just about anywhere they are given a chance, but seem to do better in semi-shade and moist soils. We find them all along the island trails and roadsides.
This plant was photographed along the Baker Preserve Trail on May 9th.
Dal Neitzel