Herb Robert
Despite its beautiful, colorful flowers, the plant emits an unpleasant odor when rubbed.
Photo: Jens H. Petersen
Photo: Jens H. Petersen
Herb Robert is also known as stinking Bob, and in Denmark it is called “stinky storksbill”, partly because the fruits resemble a stork’s beak, and partly because the whole plant, when rubbed, emits a strong odor, which to some people is unpleasant.
Herb Robert has a very effective way of dispersing the seed. When the fruit is ripe and dries out, tensions are built up in the long beak, splitting it violently into five parts, each throwing a seed up to several meters away.
Each seed has a small oil body that ants collect and carry along. In this way they contribute to the further dispersal of the seeds.
Facts:
- Greenhouse location: The exhibition “Fabulous Flowers”
- Danish name: Stinkende storkenæb
- Latin name: Geranium robertianum
- Family: The geranium family / Geraniaceae
- Natural habitat: Dunes, grassland, heath, steep slopes, and along roads