Potentilla gracilis aka Graceful Cinquefoil

Potentilla gracilis is a slim plant in the rose family. It is a perennial: it lives for more than two years. Its names include slender cinquefoil and graceful cinquefoil. Fivefinger cinquefoil is another name. It grows wild across much of northern North America. Kew puts its range as far south as northern Baja California, Mexico. It grows in meadows, grasslands, open woods, and clearings. It lives by streams and roads, and in foothills. It also grows in sagebrush desert. Sites range from low ground to mountains. Alpine sites reach 9,000 feet [2,743 metres].

Plants form upright clumps with many slim stems. They grow about 1–2 feet [0.3–0.61 metres] tall. Full-grown clumps spread about 2 feet [0.61 metres] wide. The leaves are palmate: their parts spread from one point. This plant has soft growth, not a shrub's woody frame. Yellow blooms make a clear show above the summer clump. Missouri Botanical Garden gives June through July as bloom time. Chicago Botanic Garden gives a wider span: May through August. These records suggest bloom dates can change with growing conditions.

Full sun gives this plant the light it likes best. It takes light shade, but not full shade. It grows in average soil that drains well. Keep the soil moist and give a moderate water supply. Plants with roots settled in cope better with drought. Those just planted cope less well. Cool northern summers suit it more than hot, damp weather. Missouri Botanical Garden notes poor growth south of USDA Zone 7. Both gardens list USDA Zones 3–7 for this plant. It stands winter cold well, but dislikes summer heat.

Use it in borders, cottage gardens, or wildflower beds. Chicago Botanic Garden lists it for bedding schemes too. Its upright shape and yellow blooms suit these sites. It also grows in plots left to spread on their own. In good conditions, plants can set seed and grow new plants. This lets a planting renew itself from its own seed. Plan for this spread when you choose its place.

Care needs stay low when the site suits the plant. Missouri Botanical Garden reports no major bug or disease problems. Both garden sources say it resists feeding by deer. Its drought tolerance adds value once roots have settled in. The supplied sources give no food or toxicity facts for this species.