Drymocallis arguta aka Tall Cinquefoil

Drymocallis arguta belongs to the rose family, Rosaceae. It is a perennial, a plant that lives for years. Garden sources also use the name Potentilla arguta. Common names include prairie cinquefoil and tall cinquefoil. Its native range starts in subarctic North America. It extends south into the United States. Kew lists the north, centre, and east-central parts of that country. Chicago Botanic Garden calls it a Midwest native. The RHS says it is not native to Britain or Ireland. Kew places it in the temperate climate zone.

The plant grows upright, rather than forming a spreading, woody shape. Chicago Botanic Garden lists a height of 3 feet [0.91 metres]. This height can help guide where to plant it. The source gives no width for a full-grown plant. It lives for years, unlike an annual bedding plant. The species account says little about its leaves or stems. The RHS describes leaf shapes in the genus Potentilla. That broad account does not show this species’ leaf shape.

Chicago Botanic Garden lists bloom times of July and August. The listed bloom colours are yellow, white, and green. These months place its bloom season in the middle of summer. The account does not say how each flower shows these colours. It gives no flower size and does not describe the fruit. Summer blooms and upright growth suit this plant to borders. Chicago also lists its use in bedding and as groundcover. These uses come from the same account as its garden height.

Chicago Botanic Garden calls for full sun when growing this plant. It lists moderate moisture and a moderate supply of water. The USDA hardiness range is zones 4–7. These are the clearest growing limits in the supplied species sources. The account gives no preferred soil texture or pH. It gives no pest or disease guidance for this species. The supplied sources list no edible parts or uses as medicine. They give no firm grounds for a claim about toxicity. Chicago’s plant profile is an archived account, captured before February 2022. Its stated growing needs still form the basis of the care details here.