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Sulfur Five-fingers Potentilla recta

Phonetic Spelling
po-ten-TIL-ah REK-tuh
Description

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.

 

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#nectar plant#specialized bees#fields#herbaceous perennial#self-seeding#pollinator plant#bee friendly#non-toxic for horses#non-toxic for dogs#non-toxic for cats#weed#wildflower#wildlife friendly
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#nectar plant#specialized bees#fields#herbaceous perennial#self-seeding#pollinator plant#bee friendly#non-toxic for horses#non-toxic for dogs#non-toxic for cats#weed#wildflower#wildlife friendly
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Potentilla
    Species:
    recta
    Family:
    Rosaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of 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.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Weed
    Wildflower
    Habit/Form:
    Erect
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    High
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    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 To Plant:
    12 inches-3 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    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.
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Gray/Silver
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Elliptical
    Oblanceolate
    Oblong
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Width:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    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.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Red/Burgundy
    White
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Form:
    Straight
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
    Stem Description:
    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.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Meadow
    Landscape Theme:
    Butterfly Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Attracts:
    Pollinators
    Specialized Bees
    Problems:
    Weedy