marsh cinquefoil

Comarum palustre

Marsh cinquefoil is a pretty plant that grows in wet places like marshes. It has bright yellow flowers that look like little cups and can be found near water.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The marsh cinquefoil has striking deep reddish-purple, star-shaped flowers that stand out against its green, palmate leaves, often with five leaflets. Its stems are typically reddish, adding to its unique wetland beauty.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderRosalesFamilyRosaceaeGenusComarum

marsh cinquefoil

Interesting facts

Ancient people used its roots to make a reddish dye for clothes!

Its leaves often have five 'fingers,' like a tiny green hand!

Its unique flowers are a rare deep purple, unlike most wetland plants.

This plant can sometimes float on water, thanks to its special stems!

Special abilities

Marsh cinquefoil has hollow stems that help it breathe, allowing it to thrive in waterlogged or submerged wetland soils.

Marsh cinquefoil can spread widely using creeping rhizomes, helping it colonize new, muddy areas and grow in dense patches.

Marsh cinquefoil has deep reddish-purple flowers that attract specific insect pollinators like flies and some bees for reproduction.

Measurements & details

Height: 10-50 cm
Spread: 30-100 cm
Flower Size: 1.5-2.5 cm
Bloom Season: Late Spring to Late Summer (June-August)
Edible: No
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

pollinates

White-tailed bumblebee

Bombus lucorum

Collects nectar and pollen.

eaten by

Muskrat

Ondatra zibethicus

Eats rhizomes and stems.

eaten by

Mallard duck

Anas platyrhynchos

Feeds on seeds and leaves.

shelters

Green Frog

Lithobates clamitans

Hides among its dense growth.

Traits

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Summer Blooming

Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.

Medicinal

Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.