Potentilla breweri
Brewer's cinquefoil
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Family: Rosaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Potentilla breweri (Brewer's cinquefoil) is a native California perennial in the Rosaceae family, recognized by . Pinnate leaves with overlapping, deeply-toothed leaflets and cottony hairs.
Brewer's cinquefoil is a California native perennial found in the central Klamath Ranges, Sierra Nevada, and Warner Mountains in meadows and rocky areas at elevations of 1,500 to 3,700 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces white flowers with petals 5 to 9 millimeters long in clusters of 3 to 15 blooms. Growing with decumbent to ascending stems 10 to 40 centimeters tall, it forms a tufted habit with cottony-hairy stems. Its pinnate basal leaves have 3 to 7 leaflets on each side, with obovate leaflets 5 to 20 millimeters long that are palmately toothed and white-hairy. The small brown fruits are 1.5 to 2 millimeters long, smooth to slightly veined.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 19 sympatric species. Pinnate leaves with overlapping, deeply-toothed leaflets and cottony hairs.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Meadows, rocks
Elevation: 1500-2300 m (KR) or 2700--3700 m
California counties: Shasta, Siskiyou, Mono, San Bernardino, Fresno, Tulare, Inyo, Tuolumne, Modoc, Butte, Lassen, Mariposa, Placer, Plumas, Alpine, El Dorado, Madera, Nevada, Sierra, Trinity, Del Norte
Outside California: to Washington, Nevada
Bloom period
Potentilla breweri blooms Jun-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Drymocallis: Potentilla styles stay thread-thin throughout; Drymocallis styles are swollen in the middle like tiny clubs.; vs Fragaria: Potentilla typically has 5+ leaflets; Fragaria has three leaflets.; vs Argentina: Potentilla leaves are green on both sides; Argentina leaves are silvery-white beneath.; vs Ranunculus: Potentilla has compound leaves with distinct leaflets; Ranunculus typically has lobed or divided leaves.; vs Rubus: Potentilla is herbaceous with dry seed clusters; Rubus is woody-stemmed with compound berry fruits.
Frequently asked questions
Is Potentilla breweri native to California?
Yes. Potentilla breweri is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Potentilla breweri bloom?
Potentilla breweri blooms Jun-Sep.
Where in California does Potentilla breweri grow?
Potentilla breweri occurs in Shasta, Siskiyou, Mono, San Bernardino, Fresno, Tulare, Inyo, Tuolumne and other counties, at elevations of 1500-2300 m (KR) or 2700--3700 m.
What plant family does Potentilla breweri belong to?
Potentilla breweri is in the Rosaceae family, genus Potentilla.
What habitat does Potentilla breweri grow in?
Potentilla breweri grows in Meadows, rocks.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.