Redstem filaree was a native remedy for stomachache

Over the years of writing this column, I have continually worked to write about the considerable diversity of wildlife that can be observed here in this great state of ours.

But over the last year or so, I have received numerous requests to explore some of the more familiar plants that can be seen as well.

To be honest, this was not something that I had even considered, but as a naturalist, I admit that the natural world around us is not just made up of fauna, but of the flora as well.

As I continue this endeavor of including plants to this column, I will resume with another early-spring arrival that makes an appearance well before most other flowers have even begun to sprig. This plant is known as the redstem filaree.

Redstem filaree (Erodium cicutarium) is a small flowering plant that is taxonomically placed in the geranium family.

This plant is firmly established throughout the lower 48 states, including the entire state of Texas.

It can be observed most often in open fields, along roadways and other unmanaged areas as well as in cultivated yards.

Although some folks consider this beautifully colored plant to be a pest plant, or weed, (the state of Colorado lists this species on their “B-list of noxious weeds”), some elect to let it establish in their yards due to the appeal of its beautifully colored flowers.

Redstem filaree is a small flowering plant that only grows to a height of about twelve inches.

Some texts have this plant achieving heights of nearly three feet tall, but this is much greater than the average.

The young plant begins as a small (two inch in diameter) rosette that lies flat on the ground. The leaves are fully divided into leaflets and are jagged in appearance. The stem is colored reddish, hence the common name.

The flowers are comprised of ten filaments with the top five being bright pink and the lower five being greenish pink. Both these filaments and the stem are covered in tiny hairs and are rather sticky.

The flowers bloom much earlier than most other flowering plants as it is not uncommon to see fields of purple even as early as February.

Dissemination is accomplished in a very unique procedure. The immature fruit stalks are long and thin, resembling the bill of a stork.

Upon maturing, the stalk separates into five seed which are pointed at one end and have a curly-corkscrew mechanism on the other. As the humidly levels change throughout the day, the corkscrew expands and tightens, literally drilling itself into the soil.

Due to the shape of the fruit stalks, it is also known as the Common Stork’s Bill or Redstem Stork’s Bill in some of the literature.

The redstem filaree is the host plant for a few species of butterflies, and it is an effective pollen plant for honeybees who will often begin to utilize the nectar well before other flowering plants are available.

It is not as viable as an edible plant source as other flowering plants in this region, but there are folks who will eat the entire plant before it matures, stating that it has the flavor of parsley.

Some Native Americans would chew the plant up and apply the chewed-up mass to sores and sometimes rashes.

The leaves would also be boiled in water and the flavored liquid would be swallowed as a remedy for a stomachache.

Michael Price is owner of Wild About Texas, an educational company that specializes in venomous animal safety training, environmental consultations and ecotourism. Contact him at wildabouttexas@gmail.com.