Potentilla reptans
creeping cinquefoil
Europe, western and central Asia, North Africa
Overview
Potentilla reptans is a low, mat-forming perennial in the rose family that spreads by long, rooting runners much like a strawberry. The plant stands only 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) tall, but the creeping stems can reach 12-40 inches (30-100 cm), rooting at the nodes to form wide patches. Its leaves are palmately divided into five toothed leaflets, held on long stalks. From late spring through summer it produces solitary yellow flowers 0.7-1 inch (1.8-2.5 cm) across, each with five notched petals on a slender stalk arising from a leaf node. The flowers give way to clusters of small dry seeds. Potentilla reptans roots deeply with a stout taproot and spreads aggressively, which makes it a persistent weed of lawns, paths, and borders once established. It tolerates compacted soil, mowing, and trampling, recovering from fragments of root or runner left in the ground. Flowering is heaviest in full sun and reduced in shade. Its tough, spreading habit limits its use to rough or wild areas rather than tidy beds.
Native Range
Potentilla reptans is native to Europe, western and central Asia, and North Africa. It has naturalized in North America and elsewhere, growing in grassland, roadsides, ditches, and cultivated ground on moist to moderately dry soils.Suggested Uses
Sometimes used as a tough groundcover for banks, rough grass, and wild corners where its spread is not a problem. It binds soil on slopes and tolerates foot traffic better than many groundcovers. In most maintained gardens it is treated as a weed rather than a planting.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height2" - 4"
Width/Spread1' - 3'4"
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight