Potentilla norvegica

Norwegian or rough cinquefoil, Rough Cinquefoil

Family: Rosaceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Norwegian cinquefoil is a naturalized perennial found in central Sierra Nevada, southern Central Valley, Peninsular Ranges, and southeastern Sierra Nevada in moist, disturbed areas at elevations below 2,300 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces small yellow flowers approximately 3 to 4 millimeters long with delicate petals. Growing with ascending to erect stems 10 to 70 centimeters tall, it has spreading hairs that are sparse and long on the lower stem surface. Its leaves are typically divided into three leaflets, with the central leaflet 15 to 50 millimeters long, oblanceolate in shape and evenly toothed along about one-third of its length. The fruit is light brown, approximately 1 millimeter long with visible veining.

Habitat: Moist, disturbed areas

Bloom period: Jun-Sep

Elevation: < 2300 m

Bioregions: c SNH, ScV, PR, SNE

California counties: Riverside, Sacramento, Butte, San Diego, San Bernardino, Inyo, Modoc, Plumas, Fresno, Sonoma, Mono, Tulare

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