Plant Profile

Prairie Cinquefoil (Drymocallis arguta), is a native perennial forb. Synonyms include Potentilla arguta and Tall Cinquefoil. Potentilla species are in the Rosaceae (Rose) family. The genus name Drymocallis derives from Greek and roughly means “woodland beauty”. While the specific epithet arguta is Latin for “sharply toothed” referring to its foliage. In native habitats Prairie Cinquefoil is often found in soil that contains some clay, rocky material, or sand. Habitats include mesic to dry black soil prairies, clay prairies, sand prairies, gravel prairies, hill prairies, Black Oak savannas, and abandoned pastures.

Thanks to its long taproot, drought tolerance is a cornerstone attribute of this charming plant. It prefers full sun and mesic to dry conditions. And it's not particular about soil type, as long as the site is well-drained. Like most cinquefoils,this one is easy to grow if the above requirements are met. Unlike some of its weedy relatives, this plant is normally found in high quality habitats, rather than disturbed areas.

Prairie Cinquefoil ranges in height from 1-2 feet tall and features crowded rosettes of attractive white flowers that can border on cream or light yellow. A super unique feature of this plant is that when ultra-blue light is made visible through a special filter, patterns are revealed that are only perceptible to pollinating insects. These ultra-violet reflecting patterns help the flowers stand out from the background and may function as nectar guides. Thus, the flowers are colored a combination of either white or yellow. With both the stem and leaves covered in fine hairs, the plant takes on an overall light green color.  It spreads via fibrous roots extending from this taproot. The seeds are very small and can be distributed by the wind, but the plant is not overly aggressive. 

Consider this low growing plant as an option for your native pollinator garden, in a wildflower prairie, or a semi-shaded woodland garden. This cinquefoil is also a great option to pair with matrix plantings of sedges.