Common Cinquefoil
Potentilla simplex
Also listed as Callionia simplex, Tormentilla simplex
Also known as Oldfield Cinquefoil, Oldfield Fivefingers, Spreading Cinquefoil
Climate Match for your location
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A low-growing groundcover with strawberry-like foliage and small yellow flowers. Hardy and drought-tolerant, it spreads via runners to cover bare ground.
Why grow it
Potentilla simplex offers a finer-textured alternative to many coarser groundcovers, with a dense mat that suppresses weeds effectively once established. It tolerates poor, sandy, or compacted soils where other low-growing perennials struggle, making it useful for difficult sites. Unlike some creeping cinquefoils, it remains relatively restrained and is less likely to become weedy in cultivated settings.
Watch out for
In moist or fertile conditions, the plant may grow more vigorously than expected and require periodic trimming to stay within bounds. It can take 1-2 seasons to fill in as a groundcover, so initial spacing should account for mature spread rather than current plant size.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Rosaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Ground cover
Low spreading plants that carpet the soil.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A low-growing groundcover with strawberry-like foliage and small yellow flowers. Hardy and drought-tolerant, it spreads via runners to cover bare ground.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Common Cinquefoil grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Potentilla simplex offers a finer-textured alternative to many coarser groundcovers, with a dense mat that suppresses weeds effectively once established. It tolerates poor, sandy, or compacted soils where other low-growing perennials struggle, making it useful for difficult sites. Unlike some creeping cinquefoils, it remains relatively restrained and is less likely to become weedy in cultivated settings.
Watch out for
In moist or fertile conditions, the plant may grow more vigorously than expected and require periodic trimming to stay within bounds. It can take 1-2 seasons to fill in as a groundcover, so initial spacing should account for mature spread rather than current plant size.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Rosaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Ground cover
Low spreading plants that carpet the soil.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Similar ground covers you might consider:
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