It is a native annual and very common throughout the British Isles, liking to grow in woodland, hedge-banks, walls and stony places, and can grow up to 50cm. Herb Robert flowers from late April into October and produces small pink five-petalled flowers, approximately 1-2cm long, containing red anthers and wrinkled carpels. The leaves are deeply dissected, ternate to palmate, and the hairy stems are usually a reddish colour. At the end of the flowering season, the leaves also turn from green to red. Folk names include: Herb Boonoo (this is our own folk name for it), Red Robin, Dragonsblood, Red Shanks, Stinky Bob (due to the musky odour it may give off if the leaves are crushed or if it is dug up).
The entire Herb Robert plant is actually edible, containing tannins, essential oils and geraniin. It can be eaten raw, or made into a tea, used as a pulstice for cuts, bruises, or other skin conditions, is mildly diuretic, astringent, and helps to stop diarrhoea.
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