Rough-fruited cinquefoil can be found growing in the wild along roadsides, in pastures and abandoned fields, gravelly areas along railroad tracks, in compacted soil along grassy paths or dirt roads. Plants typically live one to ten years. It is a self-seeder whos seeds can germinate the same year of production. The seeds can also remain in the ground and viable for up to three years. It is believed that the seed can pass through the digestive system of the white-tailed deer, therefore spreading the seed to new areas.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Oblanceolate; Oblong
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Leafy, hairy multi-branched stem. The lower leaves have 5 to 9 narrow, coarsely toothed, 1 to 3 in. leaflets and runners up to 3 feet. The upper leaves have 3-5 leaflets and short petioles or they are sessile (directly attached to the plants base). The leaves become smaller in size as they ascend. The upper surface of each leaf is green to grayish-green, glabrous to sparsely hairy. The underside of each leaf is light green.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
A flat terminal cluster of 0.5-1 in. heart-shaped, pale yellow flowers with five petals. The petals are heart-shaped, while the sepals are triangular.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Stem color
Green; Red/Burgundy; White
Stem detail
The stems are light green, light reddish-green or almost white. They are hairy when young, but lose most hair as the plant ages. The hairs are long, white and spreading.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe, Africa and Asia-Temperate
Wildlife value
Members of the genus Potentilla support the following specialized bees: Andrena (Derandrena) ziziaeformis, and Panurginus potentillae, as well as numerous other varieties of bees, wasps, moths, and sawflies. Some grasshoppers also feed on this plant. It is not eaten in abundance by many herbivores due to the bitter-tasting organic substance present in the plant. That allows the plant to spread in such areas as cattle pastures. White-tailed deer and rabbits occasionally consume the foliage.
Attracts
Pollinators; Specialized Bees
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Meadow
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Pollinator Garden
Garden tags
#specialized bees #nectar plant #fields #pollinator plant #self-seeding #non-toxic for cats #non-toxic for horses #non-toxic for dogs #bee friendly #wildlife friendly #wildflower #herbaceous perennial #weedy #hortcontest