# sulphur cinquefoil (*Potentilla recta*) The sulphur cinquefoil is a bright yellow flower that loves to grow in sunny places. Its five petal shape looks like a little star shining in the grass! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 20 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![sulphur cinquefoil](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Potentilla_recta_a1.jpg&width=800) Photo: Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Potentilla_recta_a1.jpg) ## Appearance The sulphur cinquefoil has bright yellow, five-petaled flowers that resemble small buttercups. Its palmate leaves, divided into 5-7 toothed leaflets, are covered in fine hairs, giving the plant a somewhat rough texture. It stands upright on hairy stems. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Potentilla ## Interesting facts - "Cinquefoil" means 'five leaves,' though this one often has more! - Its bright yellow flowers look like tiny strawberry blossoms, but don't eat them! - Some people call it a "weed," but bees think it's a delicious snack! - This plant is an expert at popping up in new places, thanks to its seeds! ## Special abilities - **Drought Defender:** sulphur cinquefoil has hairy leaves that reduce water loss, helping it survive in sunny, dry places. - **Tough Rooter:** sulphur cinquefoil can regrow from its deep taproot if the upper plant is damaged, helping it recover easily. - **Sun Seeker:** sulphur cinquefoil thrives in open, disturbed areas, quickly colonizing sunny spots with its vigorous growth. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Spread:** 20-40 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late Spring to Late Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits its bright yellow flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Pollinates:** Common eastern bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Helps transfer pollen while foraging on blooms. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Deer may browse on the leaves and young shoots. - **Parasitizes:** Black bean aphid (*Aphis fabae*) — Feeds on the plant's sap, potentially weakening it. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [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. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch flowers without asking an adult first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify sulphur 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 sulphur cinquefoil? 30-90 cm ### How wide does sulphur cinquefoil spread? 20-40 cm ### How big are the flowers on sulphur cinquefoil? 2-3 cm ### When does sulphur cinquefoil bloom? Late Spring to Late Summer ### Is sulphur cinquefoil edible? No ### Is sulphur cinquefoil toxic? None ### What is sulphur cinquefoil's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Ames Nowell State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ames-nowell-state-park) — Massachusetts, US · State Park - [Ashton Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ashton-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Brattleboro Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brattleboro-downtown-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District - [Bristol Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bristol-downtown-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District - [Shaw Nature Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shaw-nature-reserve) — Missouri, US · Botanical Garden - [Shepherdstown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shepherdstown-historic-district) — West Virginia, US · Historic District [View all places to see sulphur cinquefoil](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/sulphur-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: [Sulphur Cinquefoil: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sulphur-cinquefoil)