The North American species, Geranium maculatum , was used as an astringent and tonic, useful for treating internal bleeding and chronic dysentery. Leaves of our Geranium viscocissimum or ' Sticky Purple Geranium ', were used by the Blood Indians to cure headaches. The leaves were also used for children's colds. They were boiled and the steam inhaled, while the liquid was drunk once it had cooled. Geranium pratense Plants of this genus are usually referred to as the ' Hardy Geraniums ' to separate them from the ' Annual Geraniums ', which belong to genus Pelargonium .
Some confusion exists between geraniums and pelargoniums.
This mix-up can be traced back to the eighteenth century. He lumped them together under Pelargonium in his Book ' Species Plantarum ' published in 1753. Unfortunately this name soon became used only for the annuals, which had increased in popularity when several new species were introduced from South Africa. These became the mainstay of Victorian and Edwardian annuals plantings. The Hardy Geraniums were separated from the genus Pelargonium by a French magistrate and amateur botanist, Charles-Louis L'Heritier de Brutelle.