Common Cinquefoil

(Potentilla simplex)

Common Cinquefoil (Potentilla simplex)

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Estimated Native Range
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Summary

Potentilla simplex, commonly known as Common Cinquefoil, is a perennial herb native to a variety of habitats including open woodlands, grasslands, fields, and disturbed areas across Eastern North America. It is a low-growing plant, typically reaching 2-3 feet in height and spreading about 1 foot wide. The plant is characterized by its 5-parted, palmately compound leaves and yellow flowers with five petals, which are quite showy during the blooming period from March to June. The flowers are followed by seeds that mature from April to July. Common Cinquefoil’s ability to grow in impoverished soil makes it a useful indicator of soil quality.

Common Cinquefoil is valued for its edible young shoots and leaves, which can be consumed in salads or as a cooked pot herb. It is also appreciated for its attractiveness to a wide range of pollinators, including various bees, flies, wasps, and butterflies, making it beneficial for supporting local ecosystems. In gardens, it can be used as ground cover or in naturalized plantings. This plant is drought-tolerant and adaptable to various soil types, preferring full sun but tolerating part shade. While generally low-maintenance, it can spread aggressively via stolons, potentially becoming weedy in favorable conditions.CC BY-SA 4.0

Plant Description

  • Plant Type: Herb
  • Height: 2-3 feet
  • Width: 0.667-1 feet
  • Growth Rate: Moderate
  • Flower Color: Yellow
  • Flowering Season: Spring, Summer
  • Leaf Retention: Deciduous

Growth Requirements

  • Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
  • Water: Low
  • Drainage: Fast, Medium, Slow

Common Uses

Bee Garden, Butterfly Garden, Deer Resistant, Edible*Disclaimer: Easyscape's listed plant edibility is for informational use. Always verify the safety and proper identification of any plant before consumption., Low Maintenance, Rabbit Resistant

Natural Habitat

native to a variety of habitats including open woodlands, grasslands, fields, and disturbed areas across Eastern North America

Other Names

Common Names: Old Field Cinquefoil, Old-Field-Five-Fingers, Old-Field Cinquefoil, Potentille Simple

Scientific Names: , Potentilla simplex, Potentilla simplex var. calvescens, Potentilla simplex var. typica, Potentilla simplex var. argyrisma, Potentilla canadensis var. simplex, Callionia simplex, Potentilla simplex subsp. argyrisma, Potentilla simplex subsp. calvescens, Tormentilla simplex,

GBIF Accepted Name: Potentilla simplex Michx.