This is a plant which I find at the seaside where there are broken shells or in limestone country. There is plenty in the White Peak of Derbyshire and on the Great Orme for instance. On all the sites (mostly limestone country) where I know it grows, it does so abundantly. On our acid Cheshire sandstone we never ever see this plant although many other of the Geranium genus do tolerate our soil.

Near Barrow there is a very attractive white variety with red veins. It is distributed throughout the British Isles wherever there are basic soils but distribution thins out towards Northern Scotland. In Ireland the main concentration is not surprisingly round the limestone of the Burren.

LHS: 21st May 2005 Poulsalagh, Burren Co. Clare Ireland. RHS: Great Orme 23rd August 2001

Amended on January 26th 2005, amended on 1st May 2007, updated 25th Janaury 2009, amended 2nd April 2010