# dwarf cinquefoil (*Potentilla canadensis*) The dwarf cinquefoil is a small, cheerful flower that blooms in bright yellow. It grows close to the ground and loves sunny spots, making it a happy addition to meadows and gardens. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![dwarf cinquefoil](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Potentilla_canadensis_-_Dwarf_Cinquefoil.jpg&width=800) Photo: Fritzflohrreynolds, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Potentilla_canadensis_-_Dwarf_Cinquefoil.jpg) ## Appearance The dwarf cinquefoil is a low-growing plant with bright yellow, five-petaled flowers resembling tiny wild roses. Its leaves are divided into five leaflets, often compared to a small hand or a strawberry leaf, and it forms a mat of green foliage. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Potentilla ## Interesting facts - Despite its name, it's actually a relative of the strawberry, but with dry fruits! - Dwarf cinquefoil flowers always have exactly five cheerful yellow petals. - Its name 'cinquefoil' means 'five leaves' in old French, for its hand-like foliage! - Native Americans once used this plant to make herbal teas for various remedies. ## Special abilities - **Ground Spreader:** Dwarf cinquefoil has special creeping stems called stolons that help it spread across the ground and colonize new areas. - **Tough Grower:** This plant can thrive in poor, rocky, or disturbed soils where many other plants struggle, thanks to its hardy root system. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-30 cm - **Spread:** 10-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen from its flowers - **Pollinates:** [common eastern bumble bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — visits flowers for sweet nectar - **Eaten by:** [white-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses on its leaves and stems ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't pick flowers, so everyone can enjoy them! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify dwarf cinquefoil? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is dwarf cinquefoil? 5-30 cm ### How wide does dwarf cinquefoil spread? 10-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on dwarf cinquefoil? 1-2 cm ### When does dwarf cinquefoil bloom? Spring to early summer ### Is dwarf cinquefoil edible? Yes ### Is dwarf cinquefoil toxic? None ### What is dwarf cinquefoil's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Inman Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/inman-park) — Georgia, US · Neighborhood - [Connetquot River State Park Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/connetquot-river-state-park-preserve) — New York, US · State Park - [Downtown Norwich Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-norwich-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Downtown Waterbury Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-waterbury-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Durham Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/durham-historic-district) — New Hampshire, US · Historic District - [Laurel Hill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/laurel-hill-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District [View all places to see dwarf cinquefoil](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/dwarf-cinquefoil) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Dwarf Cinquefoil: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dwarf-cinquefoil)