Plant Profile

Marsh Cinquefoil - (Potentilla palustris) also named Comarum palustre or Purple Marshlocks and Purple and Swamp Cinquefoil. Potentilla species are in the Rosaceae (Rose) family, which displays a rhizomatous root structure.  

While most Potentillas are yellow, the Marsh Cinquefoil is a deep red/maroon in both the petals and the flower center. True to name, it does need wet conditions, even mucky and partially submerged in water is tolerated. Find it near streams and riverbanks, wet ditches and lakeshores in northern climates across the US. As the map may suggest, it is a circumboreal species with distribution around the globe.

This plant performs best in its natural setting, but if you have a consistently wet area in your landscape this could just be one of the more unique plants you could consider. If the right conditions are provided, this cinquefoil will create a dense groundcover.