Potentilla multijuga

Ballona cinquefoil

Family: Rosaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1A

Ballona cinquefoil is a rare (CNPS 1A) California native perennial found in central Southern California coastal regions, specifically in the Ballona Marsh of Los Angeles County at near sea level elevation. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces white flowers with delicate 4.5 to 10 millimeter petals, arranged in compact clusters of fewer than 10 blooms. Growing with prostrate to decumbent stems 20 to 50 centimeters long, it emerges from a thick taproot with a distinctive rosette growth pattern. Its pinnate leaves feature 3 to 8 leaflets per side, each approximately 10 to 20 millimeters long, with obovate shapes and evenly distributed 3 to 6 teeth along the blade. The fruit is small, smooth, and approximately 1.8 millimeters long in a tan coloration.

Habitat: Brackish marshes

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: +- 0 m.

Bioregions: c SCo (Ballona Marsh, Los Angeles Co.).

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.