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Potentilla thurberi
Potentilla thurberi A. Gray
Scarlet Cinquefoil
Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Synonym(s):
USDA Symbol: POTH2
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
Scarlet Cinquefoil is a perennial of rich, conifer forests. Its leafy stems are usually at least a foot tall. Basal leaves are palmately compound, with five to seven leaflets. It has 1 or several leafy branched stems bearing loose clusters of long-stalked, rich, deep five-petaled crimson flowers.
The rich red, darkest in the flower's center, seems to have a velvety glow; the surface is dull but the color intense. A similar species with reddish flowers, Comarum palustre, is relatively humble, with tiny, dark red petals between larger, dull red sepals; it grows in bogs across North America, extending south in the West to northern California and Wyoming.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Herb
Fruit Type: Achene , Aggregate
Size Notes: Up to about 3 feet tall.
Fruit: Aggregated achenes.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: RedBloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct
Distribution
USA: AZ , NMNative Distribution: Mts. of NM, AZ & n. Mex.
Native Habitat: Conifer forests; 6000 to 9000 ft.
Growing Conditions
Light Requirement: ShadeSoil Description: Rich, acid soils.
Value to Beneficial Insects
Special Value to Native BeesThis information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Find Seed or Plants
Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.
National Wetland Indicator Status
Region: | AGCP | AK | AW | CB | EMP | GP | HI | MW | NCNE | WMVE |
Status: | FACW | FACW | FACW |
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR
Web Reference
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter
Additional resources
USDA: Find Potentilla thurberi in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Potentilla thurberi in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Potentilla thurberi
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-02-23Research By: TWC Staff